Bin Tagging

The Bin Tagging Program will help us understand common misconceptions about what goes in each bin.

The Shire of Esperance works with the WA Local Government Association (WALGA) to provide bin tagging education to randomly selected households, which involves taking a quick look inside kerbside green general waste and blue recycling bins and then attaching a tag to bin handles to provide on-the-spot feedback for the household.

By using our bins correctly, we can ensure recyclable material gets recycled, send less waste to landfill and reduce disposal and processing costs.

What is bin tagging?

  • Bin tagging is a State Government-funded education program delivered by Local Government on a regular basis. The program has been running since 2015.
  • Bin tagging is an education tool to provide residents with direct, individualised feedback on the contents of their bin to help them reduce their waste and recycle right. Information on what should go in which bin is also available here.

How does it work?

  • Select areas of Esperance will receive tags on your bins giving you personalised feedback on how well you are using each bin.
  • Auditors lift the lid of your bin while it is on the kerbside waiting to be collected and assess the immediately visible contents to see whether there is any contamination.

When is Bin Tagging taking place?

  • The Bin Tagging Program is taking place from March through May 2025.

What do I do if I see a bin tag on my bins?

  • If you find a tag on your bin, don’t panic. It’s a note from your friendly Shire. Check out the face on the tag to see what the state of your bin is. Information is provided on each tag to help you figure out where you can improve to Recycle Right.

What information is provided on the tags?

  • A tag with a smiley face the same colour as the bin it was found on, means that you are doing A-OK! Your bin was full of all the right stuff, and you did great. Good job! 
  • A tag with a grey sad face means that we found something in your bin that may contaminate the process of resource recovery. Check the note to see what you require to keep out of that bin the next time you dispose of your waste.

 What is contamination in recycling?

  • When the wrong items are in the bins, this can affect worker safety, processing ability and quality of the end product.
  • Most common types of contamination in recycling bins are food waste, soft plastics, nappies, clothing and textiles, ropes, syringes, and bagged recycling.
  • Recyclables that are placed in plastic bags in the recycling bin do not get recycled. The Materials Recovery Facility cannot open or empty the bags for safety reasons, so instead they get sent to landfill.
  • Recycling is a commodity and relies on good quality feedstock for material to be sold to recycling processors.

Why is the Shire undertaking the Bin Tagging Program?

  • All recycling is hand-sorted at the Wylie Bay Recycling Facility, and bin tagging will help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and keep our community safe.
  • Decreasing contamination in the recycling bin then decreases the cost to residents for their waste and recycling services. 
  • Recycling is a shared responsibility, and everyone needs to work together to ensure the right thing is put in the right bin. 

Is bin tagging an invasion of privacy?

  • Once the bin is on the verge, it is Local Government property. The Council has authorised the auditors to look in the bin.
  • The auditors aren’t there to look in detail at what’s in the bin. The teams visit around 100 bins per hour and only look at what is immediately visible. They do not rummage or tip out the contents. 

How do I know who the auditors are?

  • Shire of Esperance Bin Tagging auditors are staff members and will be wearing high-visibility clothing and a Shire of Esperance hat.

Will there be any fines?

  • No, the Bin Tagging Program is for educational purposes only. 

I still have questions, who do I contact?

  • Contact the Sustainability & Resource Recovery Team on (08) 9071 0666.