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HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT

	2009	2009		2006	2003
	'000	%		%	%
Recycled waste(b)	808.3	95.9		96.2	91.7
Re-used waste(c)	736.3	87.3		87.3	83.3
Neither recycled or re-used waste	16.0	1.9		*0.9	3.4
*Estimate has a standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
(a) Refers to number of households that have recycled or re-used household waste in the 12 months prior to the survey.
(b) Households that recycled at least one surveyed waste item.
(c) Households that re-used at least one surveyed waste item.
Source: Environmental Issues: Household Waste Management and Transport Use (cat no. 4602.0.55.002)

• Of the estimated 843,000 Western Australian households in 2009, almost 96% had participated in some form of recycling in the previous 12 months, similar to the proportion in 2006. Likewise, the proportion of households re-using waste remained at just over 87% between 2006 and 2009. Less than 2% of households in WA did not re-use or recycle any household waste items in 2009.

Type of Household Waste Recycled or Re-used, Selected Items

• In 2009, the most recycled and/or reused items among households in WA were Paper, cardboard and newspapers (92%), followed by Glass (89%), Plastic bottles (89%), and Plastic bags (83%). Western Australian households were recycling most surveyed items at a greater rate than in previous years. Steel cans showed the greatest increase, with 74% of households recycling or re-using these items compared with 56% in 2006.
• The most common reason given for not recycling a waste item was not using any or enough materials to warrant recycling or not appropriate (96%). Almost one in five (17%) Western Australian households reported they had not recycled an item because they were not interested or it was too much effort.

Ways in which Households Recycle Waste

• Western Australians were less likely to take their household waste to a central collection point, other than a dump or waste transfer station, in 2009 (17%) than they were in 2006 (67%). This can be partly attributed to the increased use of municipal kerbside recycling, which rose from 77% to 89% between 2006 and 2009.