ACOR is leading a national collaboration to help reduce the confusion around recycling and make recycling simpler for all Australians
Australians have a proven desire to recycle correctly and reduce what goes to landfill, but often feel unsure if they are always getting it right, whether at home, at a friend’s house or on holiday. Many councils across Australia have different recycling systems and the away-from-home recycling options are increasing which is adding to the confusion.
This is where the new Recycle Mate mobile phone app and supporting education program is working to help remove the confusion.
Recycle Mate has comprehensively catalogued kerbside and away from home recycling systems across Australia to provide quick access to localised information to help people recycle wherever they are.
Recycle Mate gives users the ability to photograph an item or do a word search of an extensive item catalogue to find out where to recycle or dispose of that item either in their local council bin system or elsewhere. Utilising modern image recognition technology, the app is continually learning as community use provides feedback about what people want to know is recyclable.
Recycle Mate aims to empower the community to come together and make a tangible difference in improving recycling systems across Australia.
A prototype app was successfully launched in November 2019 for New South Wales residents for testing and feedback. During 2020/21 extensive work has been undertaken to develop an advanced version of the app which will roll-out nationally from September 2021.
Introducing the Recycle Mate National Data Hub
The recycling industry and the community can contribute to the development of this ground-breaking app.
The Recycle Mate National Data Hub has been developed to assist recycling stakeholders to check and modify their recycling information in real-time, as both new recycling capabilities and new product materials get introduced.
The RM Hub is a free resource for every local government, recycling program and charitable organisation across Australia to access and update their information that is shared with the Australian community through Recycle Mate. It facilitates information sharing which contributes to providing more accurate and up to date recycling information for all.
For more information about Recycle Mate and the National Data Hub:
This is where the new Recycle Mate mobile phone app and supporting education program is working to help remove the confusion.
Recycle Mate has comprehensively catalogued kerbside and away from home recycling systems across Australia to provide quick access to localised information to help people recycle wherever they are.
Recycle Mate gives users the ability to photograph an item or do a word search of an extensive item catalogue to find out where to recycle or dispose of that item either in their local council bin system or elsewhere. Utilising modern image recognition technology, the app is continually learning as community use provides feedback about what people want to know is recyclable.
Recycle Mate aims to empower the community to come together and make a tangible difference in improving recycling systems across Australia.
A prototype app was successfully launched in November 2019 for New South Wales residents for testing and feedback. During 2020/21 extensive work has been undertaken to develop an advanced version of the app which will roll-out nationally from September 2021.
Introducing the Recycle Mate National Data Hub
The recycling industry and the community can contribute to the development of this ground-breaking app.
The Recycle Mate National Data Hub has been developed to assist recycling stakeholders to check and modify their recycling information in real-time, as both new recycling capabilities and new product materials get introduced.
The RM Hub is a free resource for every local government, recycling program and charitable organisation across Australia to access and update their information that is shared with the Australian community through Recycle Mate. It facilitates information sharing which contributes to providing more accurate and up to date recycling information for all.
For more information about Recycle Mate and the National Data Hub:
- Click here to watch the presentation from our recent information sessions
- Click here to access the answers to the most FAQs
Recycle Mate is an initiative of the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) with funding support from the Australian Government’s Environment Restoration Fund program and the NSW Government’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Waste Less Recycle More initiative. Adaptation Environmental Support is the Recycle Mate delivery partner.
