Most Aussies are pretty savvy when it comes to using the curbside recycling bin and remembering to take a reusable tote bag to the supermarket. But alas, nobody is perfect, and the occasional single-use coffee cup and impulse fashion buy slips through.

We spoke to Clean Up Australia Day's chair, Pip Kiernan, about some of the growing waste issues in Australia and how we can rejig our habits for the better.

These days, most people know how to recycle stuff like bottles and cans. But what about the more confusing items, like clothing? Well, it's pretty simple what can go in your curbside recycling bin: flat, dry paper and cardboard, glass, aluminium cans and bottles. But no textiles, no crockery, no saucepans. There's a fabulous app called Recycle Mate that’s very helpful in explaining what types of waste can be recycled and where. There are a lot of things that can now be recycled that, in the past, couldn’t.

For textile waste, like clothing, donating it to a charity is great because they can re-sell it and make money – but only if the materials are fit to be worn. The rule of thumb is if you wouldn't give it to a mate, don't stick it in the clothing bin, because then the charities have to dispose of it.

Textile waste is a problematic area in Australia – around six tonnes of textile waste are thrown out every 10 minutes, and over a quarter of Australians admit to throwing out clothes after only wearing them once. Plus, many fast-fashion items are not made from natural fibres. They're essentially made from plastic, which doesn't break down in landfill and emits methane.

We're creating problems for future generations by dumping this stuff in landfill. But there are practical things we can do to lower our impact, like buying pre-loved or vintage fashion, and vetting what we're buying online. Rather than it just being a quick, easy transaction, really think about whether you need to buy that item of clothing, or if it might be better to save up and buy a better-quality item that will endure, can be repaired by a good tailor or cobbler, and can eventually be re-homed. If you don't want to give it to a charity, try and sell it online. Rental is a great option for outfits for special occasions.

What other kinds of waste concern you at the moment? E-waste, which is any discarded product with a battery or plug. E-waste is actually the fastest growing waste stream in Australia. But again, there are practical things we can do. The first is to reduce the amount of technology you purchase. Before you go out and buy another item, ask yourself: Do I really need to upgrade to the new version? Is the current technology still working? Can I get it repaired? Buying a refurbished item instead of a brand-new one also reduces landfill considerably. You can search online for a reputable retailer to make sure you get a warranty.

Finally, recycle. When these items are recycled properly, 90 to 95 per cent of the E-waste components can be recovered. Precious resources like gold, steel, copper, aluminium and platinum can be recovered and recycled into new products. Recycling also means that hazardous substances like mercury and lead are disposed of correctly. You can check with your local council or search online to find out how to do that properly. Most areas have a depo where you can drop off E-waste.

Do you think having to research the local options for some types of waste puts people off recycling? It requires effort to find out where the depo in your area is and what can be recycled, because it does differ from location to location. That can be confusing for people and errors can occur. I've been to a lot of waste facilities and it is incredible the things people put into the curbside recycling bin – shoes, dog beds, toasters – and that causes a lot of problems. You can contaminate a whole truckload of recycling by putting the wrong things in there. Batteries, for example, absolutely don't belong in curbside recycling, and they can cause fires in the truck or in the waste facility. It's really important to check with your local council about what can go into the recycling bin in your area.

What tips do you have when it comes to recycling cosmetics packaging? We're seeing a nice trend now where a lot of cosmetics and personal care brands are selling refillable pouches. Some brands are only using recycled materials in their packaging, which is also recyclable. Look at the brands and products you like and see if their packaging is made from recycled materials and can be recycled again. If you buy those products, you are helping to create demand for recycled content and moving us towards a circular economy.

What is the circular economy? It's the concept of designing products and packaging with the best quality materials that can be captured at the end of their life and recycled again and again and again. So, rather than designing for single use, it's designing for circularity; recyclability.

It can all seem a bit overwhelming when it comes to the environment, but there is something each of us can do every day with small habits. You have incredible power as a consumer to send a message and affect change. Refuse items that are not meeting the standards that you’re setting for yourself when it comes to recycling and circularity. At the supermarket, for example, refuse the packaged fruit and vegetables – they already come in nature's best packaging.

We're throwing out a lot of single-use plastics like coffee cups and plastic cutlery every year (it makes up one million tonnes of our total annual plastic waste), so by refusing those, you are having an impact. And that's just resetting habits. Have the shopping bags in your car or in your handbag so you're not buying a shopping bag every time you go to the supermarket, take a reusable coffee cup and drink bottle, and reduce single-use plastics in your day wherever you can. Australians are the biggest consumers of single-use plastics per capita in the world, and 130,000 tonnes of plastic leaches into the marine environment in Australia each year.

What about food waste? When we think about emissions and climate, we don't always think about the fact that food emits methane when it ends up in landfill. In Australia, five million tonnes of food end up in landfill every year. That's enough to fill 9000 Olympic swimming pools.

There are lots of things we can do to reduce that quite significantly. The number one thing is good meal planning. Write a list, plan your meals and shop according to that list. Store your food properly to extend its life. Become a lover of leftovers. And finally, think about composting rather than putting scraps in landfill. There are some fantastic options out there, like the Bokashi bin which doesn't smell, so you can stick it on the bench and use the waste on your pot plants once it has broken down. Another thing to look out for is the Compost Revolution, which helps Australians receive subsidies on buying their composting equipment. There's also a fantastic thing called Share Waste. If you're not in a position to compost your kitchen scraps, you can join the Share Waste community and connect with people nearby who might be expert composters, or they might have chooks and be happy to take your food waste and put it to good use.

Can you tell us a bit about soft plastics and how they can be recycled? A soft plastic is anything you can scrunch in your hands, like bread packaging or grated cheese packaging. People get confused and think soft plastic can go into the curbside recycling bin, but it absolutely cannot, as it gets caught in the machinery at waste facilities.

In Australia, we had REDcycle recycling bins for soft plastics in supermarkets. But that scheme has recently been paused because there wasn't enough demand for the products made from those materials. REDcycle will resume again in time, but it's a great example of why we need to move towards a circular economy. That means creating demand for recycled content by seeking out packaging that's made from recycled materials.

Anything else you’d like to share? A really wonderful way to lessen our impact on the planet is to get involved in a clean-up event. You don't do a clean-up and then not change the way you think about what you buy and how you dispose of it. Plus, it’s fun, it makes you feel good, and you can bring friends or family together or do it as a bit of a community event.

This article was originally posted on February 1st, 2023.