Heading to the Sydney Royal Easter Show? Among the showbags, rides and fairy floss, there’s another way to make your day count – by helping the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) reach its 80% recycling target for 2025.
Wanless Waste Management, in partnership with WCRA and Quay Clean, is working behind the scenes to make the site cleaner, greener and more sustainable. But to hit that target, we need your help.
Sorting your waste properly at the Show takes just seconds, but it makes a truckload of difference. With colour-coded bins and a quick refresher on what goes where, you’ll be ready to lead by example.
Here’s what you need to know to bin it right
Commingled Recycling (Yellow Lid)
Use this for clean, empty containers. If it’s contaminated with food or liquid, it can’t be recycled.
- Plastic bottles and cups (empty)
- Aluminium cans
- Glass containers
- Cardboard drink trays
- Paper show programs
General Waste (Red Lid)
This is for anything that’s contaminated, soft plastic or food-related. When in doubt at the Sydney Royal Easter Show – if it’s dirty, it goes here.
- Food scraps (fruit peels, bones, leftovers)
- Wooden cutlery and used napkins
- Coffee cups
- Chip packets, lolly wrappers, soft plastics
- Cardboard or paper with grease or food on it
Return & Earn Containers (CDS Bins)
Look for the “10c refund” label. Each eligible drink container placed here generates a donation to the Royal Agricultural Society.
- Water bottles
- Soft drink cans
- Poppa juice boxes
Why Recycling at the Sydney Royal Easter Show Matters
Contamination is the biggest barrier to effective recycling. Just one piece of plastic in the wrong bin – especially an Organics bin – can cause a whole truckload of material to be sent to landfill instead of being recycled or composted.
While customer-facing Organics bins aren’t part of this year’s setup, they’re coming in 2026, so it’s never too early to get into the habit of sorting your waste right.
You’re not just throwing something away – you’re showing your kids how to be waste-wise, supporting a cleaner Easter Show, and playing your part in a more sustainable future.
Snap It, Share It, Show Us
We want to see your best bin-sorting moments! Snap a pic of yourself or the kids doing the right thing at the bins and share it using the hashtag #ShowBinHero.
You’ll be helping others learn how easy it is to recycle right – and proving that leading by example starts with one small choice. For more on this, and Wanless Waste Managements many recycling initiatives, contact our friendly team today.