Colour your wheelie bin competition

City of Mount Gambier continues its work in the waste and recycling space with the launch of a competition encouraging residents to paint their recycling bins. Created in response to the popularity of bin outings during COVID-19, the competition enables residents to express creativity while highlighting the importance of recycling.

“The Australian wheelie bin has become an icon as people in isolation have taken to dressing up in costumes in order to take their bin out, with the Bin Isolation outing group on Facebook now attracting a worldwide following of more than 1 million people,” Riddoch & Main Corner Coordinator Talie Teakle said.

“At the Riddoch we took this idea a step further and thought it would be fun to dress the bin up instead, developing a video tutorial as part of the online 'Riddoch at home' program.”

Residents are invited to paint the bottom half of their blue recycling bin to either identify their street number, or to promote the types of materials that can be recycled.

Council has ramped up waste and recycling initiatives around the city with the recent introduction of a bulky waste trial, suspension of FOGO fees and a waste survey which will help to inform an upcoming education campaign, so to complement that we came up with the idea to offer a competition for dressing up your recycling bin.
- Riddoch & Main Corner Coordinator Talie Teakle

“Not only does it encourage people to learn about the items going into recycling, but it will also add a lot of colour and individuality to bin day in your street”, Ms Teakle said.

Entrants can submit their artwork under two categories:

• Paint your recycling bin featuring your street number, and
• Paint your recycling bin with a recycling theme.

To enter email a photo of your completed bin along with your contact details to riddoch@mountgambier.sa.gov.au

A first and second prize will be awarded for each category.

“First prize winners will receive a compost bin from the Compost Revolution range and a $25 art supplies voucher to be spent at the The Riddoch and Main Corner retail shop, while second prize is a $50 ReUse Market voucher and a $25 art supplies voucher,” Ms Teakle said.

Entries close Monday 31 August 2020.

Conditions apply:

• Only the BLUE recycling bin can be painted and any artwork must be below the logo.
• Painting the bin is at the entrant’s own costs.
• Any entries that include negative or derogatory content will not be considered.
• Modifications that may affect the structural integrity of the bin are not permitted, ie. drilling of holes, etc.
• For your safety please paint in a well ventilated area and follow paint safety precautions as outlined on packaging.
• City of Mount Gambier employees and their immediate family are ineligible for prizes.

Media contact: City of Mount Gambier Communications Officer Ashlea Watson at awatson@mountgambier.sa.gov.au or phone (08) 8721 2577.