Where Does Our Recycling Go?
Challenge Recycling is a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that sorts the recyclable contents of the yellow lid bins from around the Tamworth region.

Challenge Recycling is a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that sorts the recyclable contents of the yellow lid bins from around the Tamworth region.
Lids in but lids off (put in loose)
Empty plastic bottles and containers
Empty food containers
Empty steel, aerosol, aluminium cans and foils
Empty glass bottles and jars from the pantry
Flattened cardboard (including empty pizza boxes)
Paper
Empty milk and juice cartons
Take-away coffee cups and their lids
Food or drink left in containers
household garbage in bags
plastic bags and soft scrunchie plastic of any kind
used nappies
garden hoses
chairs
dead animals
needles / syringes
household batteries
ceramic or porcelain (ie tea cup or plate)
building materials such as metal, wire and wood
e-waste
clothing or shoes
pillows or bedding
0.1
28.1
13+Years |
LovesTime with his daughter & the Broncos |
5Days/week |
152,100+Tonnes Processed |
As community recycling increases, staff are spending more time removing contamination from the sorting lines.
Sorting through contaminated recycling potentially exposes them to a number of hazards such as:
30+Years |
LovesShopping and walking her 2 dogs |
5Days/week |
351,000+Tonnes Processed |
Soft scrunchie plastics get wrapped around parts of machines and jam machines causing the sorting belt to stop until it can be fixed.
Heavy metal objects can cut or go straight through machine belts causing the sorting belt to stop until it can be fixed.
Textiles (ie clothing, bedding etc) can get tangled around the machinery and jam the machines causing the sorting belt to stop until it can be fixed.
Some recyclables can end up in landfill if they are contaminated with food or drink inside. Challenge Recycling staff cannot empty this out during the sorting process.
Food and liquids left in recyclables could damage paper and cardboard to the point they become unable to be recycled and could end up in landfill.
As at December 2019, the NSW State Average of contamination is 10%.
paper and cardboard
glass
aluminium and steel cans
empty hard food and beverage
container plastics
15+Years |
LovesGaming, Collecting stamps and coins |
5Days/week |
175,500+Tonnes Processed |
Ensure there is no food or drink left in your recyclables
Lids in but lids off! Take all plastic or glass container lids off and put them loose in your yellow lid bin with the containers
Staff at Challenge Recycling deserve a clean and safe work environment so please put nappies (baby and adult) in the red lid bin and dispose of needles safely in a puncture proof container in one of the free collection bins located around the region. See the councils guide to sharps disposal.
26+Years |
LovesHorse riding and his Kids |
6Days/week |
365,040+Tonnes Processed |