Inside Visy's MRF: Lessons in Real Recycling

An Eye-Opening Visit to Visy's Gibson Island MRF

Last week, our team—Royston Kent, Adam Drinkwater, and Chiara Bortoli—had the opportunity to tour Visy’s Gibson Island Recycling Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). A big thank you to Andrew Burdett and Mark Oshea for such an informative and engaging experience!

The Reality Behind the Bins

The tour gave us an up-close look at how household recyclables are sorted, processed, and prepared for reuse. But it also revealed some hard truths.

Contamination remains a major challenge for facilities like Visy’s. A single battery mistakenly thrown in the recycling bin can cause fires and serious damage. Even Christmas lights, which might seem harmless, can tangle machinery and halt operations.

What Can You Do?

Not all materials marked as recyclable are actually recoverable in your local recycling stream. That’s why it’s essential to:

• Check your local council’s recycling guide

• Avoid placing soft plastics, electronics, and food-contaminated items in your recycling bin

• Dispose of batteries and e-waste at designated drop-off points

These simple steps help prevent contamination, protect facility workers, and improve the quality of recycled materials.

Why It Matters

Facilities like Visy’s play a crucial role in Australia’s circular economy, but they can’t do it alone. It takes informed households and businesses to ensure that recycling systems work efficiently and safely.

We left the tour with a deeper appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes—and a renewed commitment to doing our part.

Let’s all continue to learn, share, and recycle responsibly.