Key Takeaways
- National Recycling Week runs from 10–16 November, themed “Join the Cycle”, encouraging workplaces to strengthen reduce-reuse-recycle practices.
- Australia’s resource recovery rate (reuse, recycling, or energy recovery) reached 66% in 2022-23, with a 63% pure recycling rate, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
- Workplaces can go beyond kerbside bins with recycling and upcycling ideas such as repurposing furniture, setting up collection points, and engaging staff in creative reuse.
- Specialist recycling services like TerraCycle offer solutions for hard-to-process materials, including coffee pods, blister packs, pens, and soft plastics.
- A strong workplace recycling program supports sustainability goals, cuts waste costs, boosts staff engagement, and strengthens community and environmental impact.
National Recycling Week
Each November, Australians are reminded that every recycling action, no matter how small, can contribute to change. National Recycling Week (10–16 November), established by Planet Ark in 1996, celebrates this commitment and encourages individuals and organisations to responsibly reduce waste. This year’s theme, “Join the Cycle”, is all about connecting people, workplaces, and communities in the ongoing effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
For workplaces across the country, from schools and universities to offices and government departments, National Recycling Week is an ideal opportunity to review waste systems, explore innovative recycling ideas, and adopt upcycling practices that close the loop on waste.
Why Recycling Matters More Than Ever
According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) 2024 National Waste and Resource Recovery Report, Australians generated an average of 2.88 tonnes of waste per person in 2022–23, recovering 66% of that through recycling, reuse, or energy recovery. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2024 data shows that the pure recycling rate was 63%, up from 61% in 2016-17; a positive trend that still leaves plenty of room for improvement.
Despite these gains, millions of tonnes of recyclable materials still end up in landfill each year. Plastic waste remains a major challenge, with Australia recycling only about 13% of plastics. Offices, schools, and workplaces have a unique opportunity to lead by example, influencing behaviour and embedding circular-economy thinking across teams.
National Recycling Week isn’t just about recycling, it’s about helping people understand the full waste hierarchy: Reduce what you use, reuse what you can, and recycle what remains.
Practical Recycling and Upcycling Ideas for Workplaces
Refreshing Your Recycling Systems
Before adopting new strategies, make sure your workplace has the basics covered, especially when it comes to waste and recycling bins.
Simple improvements can have the biggest impact:
- Label bins clearly for paper, cardboard, commingled recyclables, organics, and battery or tech waste.
- Standardise bin locations so recycling is just as easy as general waste disposal.
- Run a waste audit to identify what’s being thrown away unnecessarily. Many councils and waste contractors offer free audits or waste-reduction toolkits.
- Educate staff regularly. Recycling habits fade without reminders, so use posters, email tips, or team challenges to keep participation high.
- Gamify waste management and diversion to make what can seem like a mundane or boring task enjoyable and rewarding.
- When recycling systems are visible, accessible, and clearly explained, staff are more likely to make the right choices.
Exploring Upcycling Opportunities
Upcycling transforms used materials or unwanted products into something new and valuable, creatively reducing waste.
Here are a few ideas for schools, offices, and community spaces:
- Turn old furniture into shelving, planter boxes, or collaborative seating areas.
- Repurpose wooden pallets or packaging into storage units or staff room tables.
- Create an internal swap station where staff can trade stationery, surplus materials, or reusable containers.
- Engage students or staff in an “Upcycle Challenges”, like decorating bins, creating art from waste, or designing new uses for obsolete equipment.
Upcycling is a powerful conversation starter about sustainability and resourcefulness. It also adds character and a personal touch to classrooms or office environments.
Tackling the Hard to Recycle Items
Many items used daily in workplaces fall outside standard recycling systems, such as coffee pods, pens, toothbrushes, blister packs, or soft plastics. This is where specialist services like TerraCycle can make a huge difference.
TerraCycle partners with brands and organisations to recycle materials traditionally considered “non-recyclable”. Workplaces can purchase pre-paid collection boxes or join brand-sponsored programs to collect specific items. Once full, the boxes are returned to TerraCycle for processing into raw materials used in manufacturing.
Common TerraCycle recycling boxes include:
- Coffee capsule recycling
- Writing instrument recycling
- Printer cartridge recycling
- PPE recycling
For schools and offices, participating in TerraCycle is an easy way to engage staff and students in visible sustainability actions while diverting waste from landfill.
Connecting Recycling to Cost and Culture
Implementing effective recycling and upcycling initiatives isn’t just good for the environment, it’s also good for business.
Reducing waste can cut disposal costs, as general waste collections are often more expensive than recycling services. It can also improve workplace culture, signalling a shared commitment to sustainability and collective responsibility.
Encouraging staff to bring reusable containers, print less, or use refillable products can also lead to direct savings on supplies.
When workplaces celebrate success, such as number of tonnes of waste diverted from landfill or the creative reuse projects the team has completed, it reinforces engagement and pride in shared achievements. Sustainability becomes not just a policy, but a part of the organisation’s identity.
What Workplaces Can Do This National Recycling Week
If your organisation wants to take part, here are simple and meaningful actions to get started:
- Launch a “Join the Cycle” event where staff pledge one new sustainability action.
- Hold a recycling drive for batteries, e-waste, or soft plastics.
- Partner with local recyclers or councils for workshops on waste reduction.
- Showcase upcycling creativity by hosting an internal design challenge or reuse/upcycle art project.
- Publicise results and share your data on waste diverted, materials reused, and participation rates.
- Use signage and visual cues to make correct sorting easy and intuitive.
Every small initiative contributes to a larger collective movement, and National Recycling Week is the perfect time to begin or refresh these efforts.
Building a Circular Workplace Economy
Australia’s National Waste Policy Action Plan sets an ambitious goal of recovering 80% of resources by 2030. To reach this target, both individuals and organisations must think beyond recycling bins and look toward circular design in which waste is viewed as a resource rather than an unwanted byproduct.
Circular workplaces focus on:
- Reducing material use through smarter procurement and digital workflows.
- Reusing and repairing furniture or tech equipment rather than replacing them.
- Recycling and recovering materials through certified partners.
- Educating and engaging staff to ensure long-term commitment.
According to ABS data (2024), Australia’s resource recovery rate has risen steadily since 2016, reflecting progress toward a more sustainable national waste system. That said, large commercial and institutional sectors, including offices and schools, still generate significant waste streams that often contain recyclable content.
Strengthening workplace recycling systems is essential to bridging that gap. By participating in National Recycling Week, workplaces can take tangible steps toward meeting these national targets while demonstrating leadership in sustainability.
Joining the Cycle
National Recycling Week is more than an awareness campaign. It’s a practical reminder that small changes across thousands of workplaces can lead to massive collective impact.
When offices, schools, and institutions commit to reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling effectively, they not only lower their environmental footprint but also build stronger, more sustainable communities.
From using TerraCycle for complex waste to launching staff upcycling challenges, every workplace can contribute to the national effort. Together, we can keep valuable materials in circulation, support local recycling industries, and protect Australia’s environment for future generations.
Join the cycle. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
