Sustainability Through Recycling Beyond Ecology
National Recycling Week 2023 reminds us that our commitment to a circular economy and sustainability extends far beyond ecology. This year's theme, 'What goes around, comes around,' underscores the interconnectedness of our actions and the potential for positive change when we embrace recycling and waste recovery as more than just a green initiative.
Recycling has become a fundamental part of our collective consciousness, reflecting our evolving attitudes toward our community and the environment. Our daily habits align with our values, evident in the rapid filling of recycling bins while landfill-bound trash dwindles. It's not just adults contributing to this change; children eagerly collect cans and bottles, trading them in for extra pocket money, instilling lifelong eco-conscious values. Even the fashion-forward among us recognise the importance of donating our gently worn clothes to make space for the next season's trends rather than tossing them aside.
While we certainly need to do more to reduce waste and recycle effectively, the impact of diverting valuable and recoverable materials from landfills is a significant step toward achieving our sustainability goals. Western Australia's waste hierarchy prioritises sustainable practices and strongly emphasises waste avoidance and reduction at its base, followed by reuse, recycling, energy recovery, and lastly, disposal in landfills.
An often overlooked benefit of our recycling efforts is the burgeoning industry providing meaningful employment to people with disability.
Over three decades ago, disability employment providers in Australia were among the first to embrace curbside recycling collection and sorting to offer diverse employment opportunities to people with disability. Today, these providers operate numerous recycling services across the country, playing a pivotal role in our efforts to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
Recycling goes beyond sorting paper, plastic, and glass into bins. It encompasses an inclusive perspective on sustainability, actively seeking to encourage employment opportunities for people with diverse abilities. These individuals collect, sort, and repurpose materials, diverting potential waste from overflowing landfills and championing a sustainable future.
The challenges of managing our waste provides a platform for people with disability to innovate and develop skills, often leading to opportunities in other industries.
The Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC, while overseeing Disability Services and Environment, championed this vision. In developing Western Australia's Containers for Change scheme, he emphasised a holistic approach that both benefits the environment and creates employment opportunities for people with disability and the long-term unemployed.
Workpower, Western Australia's largest employer of people with disability, operates recycling sites throughout the metro region. They recycle various commodity materials and items, from cardboard to fire extinguishers. This work involves disassembling items and recovering recyclable materials for resale. Employees also prepare pre-loved items for resale at Reuse Shops, which may require cleaning, reconditioning, and electrical testing. These tasks encourage employees to acquire new skills and qualifications, enabling them to safely operate machinery and equipment and handle hazardous materials.
The potential for diversification within the recycling sector is virtually limitless. Collaborations with like-minded organisations such as Sustainable Salons Australia, Donut Waste, and Return-It continue to expand the roles that Workpower can offer. These partnerships open doors to new opportunities and further contribute to the sustainability and circular economy objectives we aim to achieve.
As a community, our recycling and waste recovery efforts can yield dividends in our ecology's sustainability. They are also giving back to our community through the creation of employment opportunities for people with disability.
What goes around in our recycling efforts really does come back.
Lee Broomhall
Chief Executive Officer
Workpower