Old glasses cannot go in household recycling bins because they are made from mixed plastics and metals. Many optometrists, including Specsavers, take part in the Opticycle program, which accepts prescription and non-prescription glasses. Some stores also take contact lens blister packs. The glasses are separated into lenses and frames, and the materials are recovered. They are then used to make products such as pavers, bricks, blocks and eco-aggregates, while metals are recycled into new uses. Recycle Mate can help people find a nearby drop-off point.
Five emerging innovators have been selected for the evokeAG 2027 Groundbreakers Program. Their projects target rural workforce shortages, high chemical spray costs and livestock disease. Bovision is developing computer vision technology to monitor cattle health in feedlots, while WeedSelector uses cameras to spot spray target weeds. Agriculture Jobs Auswide connects job seekers with primary producers. Over four months, the group will receive leadership development and networking before presenting at the national evokeAG event in Adelaide.
Plastic bread tags, balloon sticks, microbeads and lollipop sticks will be phased out in NSW under new reforms. The changes, part of the NSW Plastics Plan 2.0, aim to make more products recyclable and reduce plastic waste in waterways. Over 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste is sent to NSW landfills annually. The reforms will also target takeaway coffee cups, requiring them to be recyclable by 2028 and cafes to offer reusable options. The government will run reuse trials in government-owned venues starting next year.
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Work has officially begun on the ACT's new Materials Recovery Facility at Hume, which is expected to save about $10 million a year. The original facility burned down on Boxing Day 2022, after batteries were put in a red bin, forcing recyclables to be trucked interstate. Veolia will run the new facility for 20 years, and it will include glass washing and crushing capability. Both the ACT and Commonwealth governments have contributed $10.5 million each, with $5 million from insurance. The facility is expected to open in early 2028.
Council's Recyclopedia waste and recycling app will be replaced by a new app, Looped in Council, from Monday 2 November 2026. The new app will keep the same features, including the bin collection calendar, an A-Z of waste, recycling and general waste information, and disposal facility details. Over the coming week, users of the old app will see a pop-up message with instructions for switching. The new app can also be downloaded directly.
Three northside Brisbane groups have been named finalists in this year's WasteSMART Brisbane Awards. They are the Harvest Cook Create community swap, Apricot Café in Wavell Heights and the SJFC Enviro Club at St John Fisher College in Bracken Ridge. Harvest Cook Create runs monthly swaps at T.C. Beirne Park in Hendra, where no money changes hands. Apricot Café offers a Mug Library and discounts for reusable cups. Winners will be announced at Brisbane City Hall on Friday 20 November.
Yasmin Wessels, a daughter of New Zealand flower growers, founded The Flower Loop at 20 to collect plastic bouquet wraps for recycling. Now 24, she has diverted more than seven tonnes of plastic, or one million flower sleeves, from landfill. She hopes to bring her system to Australian flower markets. Zoe Carter founded Agriculture Jobs Auswide to connect farm workers with employers in the sector. Both women will present at evokeAg in February 2027.
Central Highlands Water has been recognised at the Water Minister's Climate Innovation Challenge Awards for its approach to reusing biosolids. Its project, titled Upcycling Biosolids Derived Biochar: Three Products, One Feedstock, won the first runner-up award. The judges linked the project to the challenge's aim of finding practical, sustainable ways to manage biosolids. Developed with RMIT, Saunders Aquametro, Barwon Water and Greater Western Water, the project identifies three products that could be made from biosolids. Prototypes and approaches have already been identified through research.
Tyre Stewardship Australia has launched a new national program to help councils use tyre-derived crumb rubber in road construction for the first time. Eligible councils receive $250 per verified tonne used, up to 100 tonnes and $25,000 per project. A total pool of $550,000 is available, allocated first come, first served. Chief Executive Lina Goodman said the program aims to boost demand for recycled tyres and build confidence in the road sector. Funding applies to asphalt projects across Australia, and to spray seal projects in the Northern Territory only. Applications are now open.
Tyre Stewardship Australia has welcomed a federal parliamentary committee report on the tyre industry and urged the government to act on its 12 recommendations without delay. The recommendations include national rules for end-of-life tyres, a staged move away from onsite burial of mining tyres, and support for regional and remote areas. Chief Executive Lina Goodman said off-the-road tyre recovery rates had risen from 9 per cent to 21 per cent since 2021. Consumer research commissioned by the group found 91 per cent of Australians support national rules for used tyres.
The Clermont Waste Management Facility is closed today, Friday 23 October 2026, because of staff unavailability, the local council has advised residents. Kerbside general waste collections will proceed as scheduled today. Recycling collections are set to be completed tomorrow. The facility is expected to reopen as usual on Saturday 24 October 2026. Residents seeking more information are directed to the council's customer service line, which operates around the clock.
Moree Plains Shire Council has replaced its waste and recycling app and is asking residents to download the free replacement, LoopedIn Councils. Users should select Moree Plains Shire Council during setup and delete the old Moree Council waste app. The app sends reminders about which bins to put out and when, along with alerts about service changes. Residents can also report missed collections or damaged bins and check transfer station and landfill updates. Council Waste Manager James Maxwell said the reminders are useful for busy households. The app is available for iPhone and Android devices.
The bulk waste area at Fremantle Recycling Centre will close temporarily from Friday 30 October for upgrade works. It is due to reopen on Friday 13 November 2026, while other areas stay open as usual. Residents of the City of Fremantle and Town of East Fremantle are asked to keep their bulk waste until then. Anyone arriving with general bulk junk during the closure must take it home. Residents of both councils can instead book a Verge Valet collection or use the City of Cockburn's landfill facility, where fees apply.
Isaac Regional Council says refuse and recycling kerbside collection in Moranbah may not be completed on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Because contractor staff are not available, the work is expected to be carried out on Friday, 23 October 2026. Residents are asked to keep their bins out for collection until then. The council has apologised for the inconvenience and thanked residents for their patience.
The City of Whittlesea is marking National Recycling Week, running from 9 to 15 November 2026, by encouraging residents to find new ways to reduce waste and reuse items. Planet Ark leads the national campaign, which highlights how recycling benefits both the environment and the economy. Free community events include a mending session at Thomastown Library on 7 November, a clothing and textiles recycling day at Whittlesea Showgrounds on 18 November, and a homemade holiday decorations workshop on 19 November. A Circular Fashion Market at the South Morang Civic Centre carpark follows on 22 November.
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A new Return and Earn depot has opened in Wyong. It is designed to make recycling eligible bottles, cans and cartons easier. The depot is operated by St Vincent De Paul.
Registrations are open for Brimbank's School Battery Blitz, a competition where classes collect household batteries for recycling during National Recycling Week, from 9 to 15 November. Classes register online, and students bring batteries to school in sealed bags for placement in buckets supplied by the council's recycling partner. The buckets are collected at the end of the week and weighed, with prizes for the classes that collect the most. Grades three to six receive a recycling truck visit, and years 7 to 12 receive a pizza lunch. Registrations close on 2 November.
Emissions from making lithium-ion batteries are small today but could rise by a factor of 10 or more by 2050, according to a study led by Haiwei Zhou at the University of Melbourne. The batteries are used in many parts of the energy transition. The researchers estimate these emissions currently make up 0.18 percent of annual greenhouse gas releases. They compared ways to reduce emissions, including cutting the number of batteries needed rather than only lowering the carbon footprint of each one. Their projections used International Energy Agency scenarios for electric vehicles and energy storage through 2050.
