Sustainable Steps

Thanks to a partnership with APR Composites, table settings and benches crafted from 50% recycled HDPE plastic have been installed in Council’s open spaces, contributing to a circular economy and extending the use of resources.

The Barossa Council Mayor Bim Lange says because material used in the furniture is sourced directly from yellow bins collected each week around the region, it’s crucial everyone plays their part by “ensuring the right things go in the right bin”.

“When residents separate recyclables correctly, it allows facilities like NAWMA to recover valuable materials for reuse, like the HDPE plastics which are repurposed into the furniture we’re now enjoying in our parks and playgrounds,” Mayor Lange said.

Over the past 12 months, seven picnic table settings, 29 park benches and 155 bollards have been installed across the Barossa. That equates to 74,025 two-litre milk bottles, or 200 cubic metres of recovered plastic, being repurposed to help create a brighter, greener future.

Glen Carter, Council’s Manager of Infrastructure and Environmental Services, said the new furniture is durable and lasts longer than its wooden equivalent.

"The use of recycled plastic products in our open spaces aligns with our goal of creating and preserving sustainable parks for the community,” Glen said.

“Just like our commitment to making conscious planting decisions to enhance aesthetics without requiring excessive maintenance, we choose recyclable products with confidence in their durability and longevity.”

To learn more about what goes in which bin, visit whichbin.sa.gov.au and check out https://youtu.be/2fxv6bvA9Fo to see how a plastic bottle placed in the yellow bin gains a new lease of life.