MECC embraces National Recycling Week

The Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (MECC), a state-of-the-art $29 million conference and exhibition facility, has officially launched its new recycling bin systems today, coinciding with National Recycling Week (November 8-14).

Funded by the MECC and the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF), 19 waste and recycling bins have been installed throughout the venue carrying the nationally recognisable call to action to recycle - Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin.

The new recycling systems will provide away from home recycling opportunities for over 120,000 visitors to the centre each year and recycle around 25 tonnes of aluminium cans, PET and glass bottles annually – enough to fill nearly 3,500 household wheelie bins!

Community Services and Facilities portfolio councillor Karen May said the launch of the new recycling bin systems was timely with National Recycling Week currently upon us.

“It’s important as a community that we are taking the right steps to a brighter and cleaner future not only at home but at public facilities and venues that we visit,” Cr May said.

“Recycling is a vital tool that not only reduces landfill, but also reduces the amount of natural resources such as trees, sand, oil, iron or and bauxite being used to make new products therefore conserving the environment,” she said.

“I hope the community embraces the new waste and recycling bins and does the right thing when disposing of rubbish.”

General Manager of the PSF Jenny Pickles said the aim of the program is to get people recycling just as effectively when they are away from home as they do when they’re at home using their kerbside collection systems.

“Through well place infrastructure, good promotion and our message of Do the Right Thing Use the Right Bin we have shown we can deliver effective away from home recycling systems in public places, with minimal contamination,” Ms Pickles said

“In National Recycling Week, there’s no better time for the people of Mackay to Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin and not only keep litter off the streets and out of our waterways, but to divert what we can from landfill by recycling,” she said.

The MECC is one of 15 well known Queensland entertainment venues participating in the PSF’s away from home recycling program.

Contact: Melissa Dunn

Phone: 1300 MACKAY (1300 622 529)