What happens after your yellow bin?

Ever wondered what really happens to your recycling after it’s collected from the kerb? For many households, the journey of the yellow bin is a bit of a mystery. To help answer that question, the City of Swan is offering residents a free behind-the-scenes tour of Cleanaway’s state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility in South Guildford.

The 90-minute guided tour gives participants a first-hand look at how everyday recycling is sorted and prepared for reprocessing. Visitors will see cardboard bailers in action, optical sorters that separate hard plastics into different polymer types, and systems that sort paper, glass, aluminium and steel cans. It’s an eye-opening opportunity to see the scale and technology involved in turning household recycling into valuable resources.

Understanding how the system works also helps explain why correct recycling at home matters. Contamination can slow down the process and reduce the quality of recovered materials, while good recycling habits help keep valuable resources out of landfill.

The tour is free and available to City of Swan residents. Complimentary bus transport is provided, departing from Jack Mann Oval in Middle Swan at 9.30am to ensure arrival on time. For those driving themselves, arrival at the Cleanaway facility in South Guildford is required by 9.50am.

For safety reasons, attendees must be over 10 years of age and able to walk up five flights of stairs unaided. Enclosed footwear, long sleeves and pants are required, with safety equipment provided on the day.

Spaces are limited, so bookings are essential. If you’ve ever been curious about where your recycling goes, this is a great opportunity to see it for yourself and learn how small actions at home can make a big difference.

Date and time

Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM