Recycle Right

Recycling, and composting, ensure that resources are placed back into circulation for remanufacturing, which eases the need for mining raw materials from the earth. By correctly using bins at home, these materials can be reused, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The City-supported Regional Resource Recovery Centre (RRRC) at Canning Vale, aims to recover over 70% of household waste material from landfill. The RRRC processes two resource streams, your recycling bin, and your FOGO bin. 

The RRRC is operated by Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC). They have also developed an education program called Recycle Right, which has an A-Z list of everyday household materials and shows where and if materials can be recycled.

The City works directly with the State Waste Authority and Municipal Waste Advisory Committee to advocate for better-supported recycling and waste management systems and planning.

Recycling bin (yellow lid)

Contents are mechanically sorted into separate recyclable streams (such as paper, cardboard, and glass) which are then sold to other companies for use in making new products. 

• Glass bottles and jars can be used in road base
• Plastics find new life as clothing, electronics, bottles, and garden beds
• Metals can get turned into new cans, car parts, electronic equipment
• Paper and Cardboard cardboard boxes become office paper, newspaper, and hand towels.

Over 2,510 tonnes of materials were recovered through the yellow lidded kerbside collection during 2020-21.

​FOGO Food organics, garden organics (lime green lid)

Contents are manually sorted to remove any large, inorganic objects, such as basketballs or garden pots before being industrially composted.

During 2020-21, 4,100 tonnes of materials were composted from the lime green lidded bins. Before FOGO, this would have been sent to landfill producing harmful greenhouse gases.

Waste minimisation

Landfilling waste is unhealthy for people and the environment and is a waste of resources. The City of Fremantle is committed to Zero Waste as a principal in the Fremantle One Planet Strategy; by reducing consumption, reusing and recycling wastes of its own operations and the services provided to its residents and commercial customers.

The One Planet Fremantle Framework 2020-2030 sets the following Zero Waste targets:

• Meet WA state recovery targets of 67% diversion from landfill by 2025 and 70% by 2030 of business and household waste, exceeding this wherever possible.
• 80% of residents have access to FOGO by 2025.
• Reduce waste generated by City operations by 20% (from the 2018/2019 baseline).

Working with the community, the City of Fremantle will achieve these targets by:

• Developing and implement a five-year Waste Plan
• Preparing guidelines for waste management in new developments
• Offering a FOGO service for commercial businesses
• Operating the Containers for Change refund point
• Offering residents the safe disposal of Hazardous Household Waste items
• Providing community education on waste and recycling
• Supporting community clean up days
• Supporting Responsible Cafes, Garage Sale Trail, Plastic Free July, and other sustainable business waste actions

Zero Waste in Action

Action Targets

• Meet state diversion target 67% by 2025
• Residential access to FOGO 80% by 2025
• Reduce City operations waste generation by 20%

Actions and activities already achieved in working towards Zero Waste:

• A new Household Hazardous Waste facility opened at the Fremantle Recycling Centre in March, the first in WA in 10 years. The program prevents around 99% of HHW materials from ending up in landfill.
• Between October 2020 - January 2021, a milestone one million beverage containers were processed through Fremantle Containers for Change, injecting over $100,000 of funds into the local community, schools, businesses, and sporting groups.
• Over $600 was raised through customer donations at the Fremantle Containers for Change for the Wooroloo and Hills bushfire appeals.
• Thirteen schools and colleges have signed up to the City of Fremantle’s Containers for Change as an opportunity to raise funds.
• Approximately 1,700 residential properties were audited in February - March through the Bin Tagging program, which provides direct feedback to properties through smiley or sad face tags, aiming to improve waste behaviors.
• About 90% of materials taken to the Fremantle Recycling Centre are diverted from landfill by reusing or recycling.
• A 5-year strategic Waste Plan has been endorsed by Council, which sets waste management priorities and targets in line with the state governments Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030.
• Public place recycling program
• The Recycle Right program
• FOGO collection is now available for businesses.and the City is working with residential multi-use developments to implement the service.