PLASTIC FREE POTTSVILLE
The Plastic Free Pottsville project aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced in Pottsville – by increasing the amount of plastic items that are either replaced, reused or recycled.
Our current elements of the project are:
Reusable Bag Swap Stations
Pottsville has two resusable bag swap stations – one outside of IGA and another in Foodworks. The aim of these stations is to reduce the amount of plastic bags used in Pottsville. If you forget your reusable bag when you are shopping simply take a bag from the box, use it, and return it the next time you are shopping.
Donations of clean reusable or paper shopping bags are always welcome!
Our goal is eventually for all plastic bags in Pottsville to be replaced by the use of reusable bags, cardboard produce boxes and paper bags.
Recycling
Recycling is a last resort as it requires energy and raw materials to recycle any item. However, it still forms an important part of the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ethos. What can be recycled and where remains a complicated question that Together Pottsville hopes to help answer for the Pottsville community.
We currently manage two ongoing recycling projects:
Simply Cups
While we would love everyone to avoid single-use cups altogether, we know how difficult this is as present. The ‘Simply Cups’ project keeps these cups out of landfill and by partnering with St Ambrose Primary, the scheme is currently free.
We collect disposable coffee cups in a special bin outside of St Ambrose Primary School and Black Drop Café to ensure they don’t end up in landfill.
We are always looking for volunteers to take these sleeves of used cups to the 7-Eleven store at Tweed Heads South.
Sign up to volunteer here or alternatively you can email togetherpottsville@gmail.com to express your interest
Pottsville Community Recycling hub
A community recycling hub has been established at St Marks Anglican Church using Terracycle to recycle things like old toothpaste tubes, chip packets, stationary and other household products, rather than putting them in the red bin and saving them from landfill.
We recommend that people keep a designated bin for the recycling hub in their laundry or under the kitchen bench to put all items in until you are able to visit the hub – you need to make it as easy as possible or chances are you’ll just put items into the red bin.
Please make sure the items are relatively clean and empty, and to follow the instructions printed on the signs at the hub.
Other recycling
Batteries can be recycled inside Foodworks.