Which Bin Does It Go In?

KESAB Tackles Australia’s Biggest Waste Question for Keep Australia Beautiful Week

It’s a question every household grapples with: which bin does this actually belong in? With recycling and waste systems varying from council to council and state to state, getting it right isn’t always straightforward – and getting it wrong can undo a lot of good intentions.

To mark Keep Australia Beautiful Week, Keep Australia Beautiful is proud to share a recent ABC Behind the News Live segment featuring Erin from KESAB, unpacking exactly how we can all make smarter waste choices and do our part to keep Australia beautiful.

Putting Everyday Items to the Test

The segment walks viewers through a run of common household items – food scraps, compostable bags, nappies, aluminium foil, e-waste, soft plastics, and cooked or processed foods — and asks the question that trips so many of us up: which bin does it belong in?

The honest answer? It depends. As the segment makes clear, there’s no single, nationwide rule for household waste and recycling. Bin colours, accepted materials and collection services differ between councils and states, so the best first step is always to check with your local council about what can and can’t go into each of your bins.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Beyond sorting correctly, the video highlights practical ways schools, families and communities can cut down on waste in the first place, including:

• Choosing reusable alternatives over single-use items
• Reducing packaging where possible
• Running Nude Food Days at school
• Composting food scraps at home
• Taking soft plastics and e-waste to dedicated collection points rather than the general bin

These everyday habits help divert valuable materials from landfill and keep resources in circulation.

Why It Matters

What we put in our bins really does matter. The wrong item in the wrong bin can contaminate an entire load of recycling or organics, sending materials to landfill that could otherwise have been recovered. Get it right, though, and metals, food organics and other recoverable resources can be given a genuine second life.

Doing The Right Thing, Together

Keeping Australia beautiful is a shared effort – and it starts with small, everyday actions. Popping a piece of litter in the bin, reaching for a reusable lunch container, or dropping an old device at an e-waste recycler might seem minor, but together these choices add up to real change.

Watch the full Behind the News Live segment below and test your own bin knowledge!

🎥 Watch the video

Remember: waste and recycling rules differ across Australia. Always check your local council’s guidelines to make sure you’re making the right bin choice.

Together, we can reduce waste, protect our environment, and Do The Right Thing to Keep Australia Beautiful.

#KeepAustraliaBeautiful #DoTheRightThing #RecycleRight #WasteWise #BehindTheNews