Sustainability Through Recycling, Powered by People
11–17 November marks National Recycling Week 2025. This year, WasteSorted calls on all of us to “Be a GREAT Sort” by choosing better pathways for materials and keeping landfill as a last resort. The message is simple and practical, and it aligns with how we operate every day.
Recycling goes beyond simply sorting items into bins. It helps to strengthen communities, generate local employment opportunities, and empower individuals to develop new skills and self-assurance. At Workpower, this purpose is clear in our social enterprises, where teams recycle cardboard, plastics, metals, e-waste, and more, and prepare quality goods for resale at our Reuse Shops. Every contract, every bag of sorted material, and every rescued item supports meaningful employment for people with disability.
WasteSorted’s theme reinforces the five core materials that most households can place in their yellow-top bin: paper, cardboard, cans, plastic, and glass. Getting these basics right has a real impact. When households and businesses sort well, recovery rates improve, contamination falls, and more value stays in circulation.
Our teams understand the practical side of this work. In our recycling facilities, supported employees disassemble complex items, separate components safely, and prepare commodities for responsible processing. On the shop floor, they clean, test and present pre-loved goods so they can find a new home. Out in the community, our people share simple steps to reduce waste and make recycling easier for everyone. This is a skills pathway as much as it is an environmental outcome, and it opens doors to broader employment opportunities.
This week, Workpower’s recycling team encourages you to put the theme into action.
Gift: Choose second-hand first and donate quality items to reuse.
Recycle: Sort the five correctly every time.
Earth-cycle: Compost food scraps at home or use your FOGO service where available.
Avoid: Refuse what you do not need and opt for reusables.
Take: Use local services to keep materials in circulation.
If you are a council, business or contractor seeking cost-effective, reliable recycling, our team can tailor a service that meets your operational needs and ESG commitments while growing employment for people with disability. When you partner with Workpower, you meet your environmental goals and create long-term, meaningful jobs in Western Australia.
Thank you to our customers, partners, and teams across Perth and regional WA who show what’s possible when good sorting meets inclusive employment. Together, we keep valuable materials in use and build a stronger circular economy that includes everyone.
Lee Broomhall
Chief Executive Officer
Workpower