Free Recycle Right Tours are offered to families and the community by the South Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) at the Regional Resource Recovery Centre (RRRC) in Canning Vale.
On a free Recycle Right tour you will learn about how all the different waste types are recycled, how you can reuse items to reduce waste, learn about the importance of making sure your waste goes in the right bin, learn about some of the wildlife that lives in the bushland in and around the RRRC, explore the RRRC vegie garden and see how you could have your own worm farm at home to create your own compost.
We started at reception where we got dressed in our high vis vests, and got an overview of the RRRC and a quick talk about what we would be looking at during our tour.
Our first stop was the Waste Composting Facility where the green bin waste is sorted and things that aren’t meant to be in there removed, before it is put into big Digesters (much like an oversized composter), where the waste goes round and round and round for about 3 days before coming out the other end as compost. If your kids love the bin truck they will love watching them all come in and out, and watching the other machinery help sort the waste too.
The huge digesters that go round and round to turn waste into compost. They are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere
We then took a little bush walk towards the the Materials Waste Recovery Centre and learned about some of the native animals that live in the bushland of the RRRC and surrounding area – the tour isn’t just all about rubbish, it’s a good reminder about the importance of efficient waste management to protect our environment as a whole. If you are lucky you might get to see some of these animals, but most of them are nocturnal.
It was then on to the Materials Recovery Facility to see how all the different types of plastics, glass, cans and paper etc are sorted.
Here you will see just how many different types of process machines are used to sort all the different types of waste. Some of them you can’t see from the viewing area so there is also a short video that shows how all the different waste is sorted. You’ll be fascinated to see how they sort aluminum cans as they don’t stick to magnets like other metals do.
We also talked about how we can reduce our usage and reuse to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be processed for recycling. It’s really is a great experience for kids to see just how much waste we produce and to get them to think about what they can do to reduce, reuse and recycle.
You’ll also see what waste looks like at the ends once it’s been all sorted and secured into bundles. Learn about all where all these different materials go to be recycled, and about all the different ways they are recycled or turned into new materials.
Before finishing our tour we visited the staff compost garden to meet the worms in the worm farm and learn about how we can make our own compost and use it to help grow vegetables in our own garden.
The SMRC run Recycle Right Tours (around 1.5 hours) for the community on some Saturdays and during the school holidays, bookings are essential and it’s recommended for kids 6years+. You can find the next Community Tour details here . You can also organise a tour for 4 or more people by calling the Education Centre 9256 9555 – this is a great activity for homeschooled kids too, it’s fun and most certainly educational.
Obviously recycling requirements are different across the various councils, but even if you do not live within the South Metropolitan Regional Council area, the Recycle Right tours are a valuable lesson in the three R’s, reduce, reuse and recycle for kids and adults alike and they are great fun too – just remember bookings are essential.
More information: www.recycleright.wa.gov.au
How to Get There:
Review by Kids Around Perth Reporter Lauren, 15th August 2015
Free Things To Do , Perth Family Events Calendar
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