Resource Recovery is the retrieval of any material that can be reused, recycled or reprocessed to make other products or items.
Tamworth Regional Council considers resource recovery an essential part of the management of all its landfill sites. Resource recovery is critically important in reducing the amount of rubbish being buried in the landfill. These actions allow Council to conserve and extend the lifespan of this valuable community asset.
Separate your waste for recycling or reprocessing and potentially save yourself money on disposal fees
Residents and Commercial clients are encouraged to sort and separate their waste prior to bringing it to the landfill.
Residents could potentially save money by doing this. If your load is greater than 50% recyclable, and is pre sorted, disposal fees may be free or significantly reduced (with the exclusion of some items that will attract a charge ie tyres).
Commercial clients can also save money by sorting their waste as it is more expensive per tonne to bring in unsorted waste materials for disposal.
What can be separated for recycling or reprocessing
Forest Road provides a variety of opportunities and materials that are included for resource recovery:
Tyres
Tyres are not buried in the landfill. They are stockpiled on site until there are sufficient numbers to be collected and taken to a tyre processing facility.
The steel belt is removed (which is recycled) and the rubber is shredded and recycled.
Items that are made from recycled tyres include playground soft fall and rubber absorption mats (eg. used at checkouts for operators to stand on).
Metal Waste
Metal is stockpiled on site until there is a sufficient stockpile to be collected and taken to a metal processing facility.
Metal can be turned back into beams, roofing iron etc. Metal waste can be recycled over and over again.
Gas Bottles
Gas cylinders are collected and stored separately on site. Once the cylinders have been inspected, they are collected with the metal waste.
They are processed and recycled just like any other type of metal.
Batteries
Vehicle batteries are collected and stored separately on site. These are also collected at the same time as the metal waste for reprocessing and recycling.
Dry Cell Batteries
There is a container for dry cell batteries recycling (AA, AAA, C, D). Another location dry cell batteries can be taken is to Battery World, located at 255 Marius Street in Tamworth.
Used Motor Oil
Residents can deposit 40L of used motor oil for free each time they visit the landfill.
The used oil is collected then taken to a reprocessing facility.
Used motor oil can be turned into biodiesel.
Timber
Timber is separated out and is reprocessed. Please check with Council staff about the type of timber you are disposing of.
Treated and painted timber and pieces of chipboard are not to be included in the timber pile and are considered waste material.
Clean Brick and Tile
Clean brick and tile is stock piled on site until there is enough material for processing. This material is turned into decorative gravel and bedding sand.
Residents can purchase decorative gravel and bedding sand from the Forest Road Landfill.
To avoid disappointment, please contact the Weighbridge prior to attending to check availability and price – (02) 6761 3687.
Clean Concrete
Clean Concrete is stock piled on site until there is enough material for processing. This material is turned into road base and drainage gravel.
As you can see below the processed concrete that is turned into road base has been used in the construction of some roads by Council. This road is the road to the Forest Road Small Vehicle Transfer Station.
Residents can purchase drainage gravel from the Forest Road Landfill.
To avoid disappointment, please contact the Weighbridge prior to attending to check availability and price – (02) 6761 3687.
Garden Organic Waste
Garden organics waste can be deposited at the green waste pad located near the small vehicle transfer station.
It is important that general rubbish, machinery, plastic bags or any other form of contamination is not put into these green waste piles.
Garden Organic waste is processed into mulch and compost and contamination may reduce the quality of these products.
Separating your garden organic waste from your rubbish can save you money when disposing of it at the landfill.
General Household Recyclable Items
Tamworth Regional Council encourages residents to recycle household items such as:
- paper
- cardboard
- empty plastic containers
- empty glass jars
- empty aerosol cans
- empty tin cans
However, these items must be deposited in the appropriate areas at Challenge Recycling, located on the left as you enter the landfill gate.