Image credit: RE-CO Somerton Park
RE-CO Somerton Park, South Australia’s first purpose-built, technology-driven recycling depot, officially opened to the public on Saturday, 31 May. Located at 59 Oaklands Road, the depot aims to simplify complex recycling processes and advance the state’s circular economy.
And that’s exactly the kind of everyday frustration RE-CO is designed to fix. I don’t think it’s reaching to say that we’ve all been completely dumbfounded while trying to recycle some items. The drop-off points for dead batteries are constantly changing and when it comes to items like white-goods, they’re almost always ending up at the tip.
But with RE-CO opening its first depot in Somerton Park, it’s all just got a whole lot easier. You can recycle everything, including non-ferrous metals, non-deposit glass, white-goods, cardboard and paper, gas bottles, clothing, scrap metal, batteries, e-waste, light globes, and more.
“The process is basically the same as our old recycling yards,” an employee said. “But we do a lot more now. It’s becoming a sort of ‘super recycling yard’, so it’s not just your 10-cent containers anymore.”
Have you got items you’d normally pay to dispose of at the dump? RE-CO lets you drop off a whole range of materials for free, and it could be your new first port of call before you look to chuck them out. It’s a win for you and the environment.
But when you do want to recycle your cans and bottles, RE-CO has you covered too, with self-serve express recycling lanes for 10-cent container refunds.
“People can just drive in with no booking needed,” an employee said. “There used to be long queues, but now you can use the self-serve machines. You drop your bottles and cans into containers on the left and milk cartons on the right. The system sorts them, and then it tells you how many recyclables you have and the refund amount.”
Or if you find it difficult to get to the depot, RE-CO also provides a 10-cent deposit container collection service called Direct Collect, which offers dedicated bins for refundable bottles and cans for homes and businesses. You can even choose to receive your refund or donate it to a participating charity or club.
Plus, the depot is open seven days a week, so there’s no stress about getting your recyclables in before Sunday rolls around.
Designed to streamline recycling and reduce landfill, the site brings together multiple recycling programs from across the state under one roof. By accepting everything from 10-cent containers to e-waste and batteries, RE-CO makes it easier for people to recycle more, more often. It’s a major and highly practical step for South Australia’s circular economy.
RE-CO Somerton Park
Where: 59 Oaklands Rd, Somerton Park
When: Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5pm, Saturday 8:30am – 2pm, Sunday 10am – 2pm
For more information, click here.
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