Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week returns from 9 to 15 November 2026 under the theme ‘Join the Cycle’, giving Australia’s cleaning and facilities management sector a timely prompt to review how workplaces sort, store and collect their waste.
Since Planet Ark established the awareness week in 1996, Australia has lifted its recycling rate from seven percent to more than 60 percent. Total recycled material has grown from 1.5 million tonnes to 43 million tonnes. Per person, recycling has climbed from 80 kilograms a year to about 1700 kilograms.
The campaign runs every year in the second week of November and reaches households, workplaces, schools and councils through the National Recycling Week hub on the Recycling Near You website. Planet Ark says reducing waste keeps valuable materials out of landfill and cuts greenhouse gas emissions.
Where cleaning teams fit in
Cleaning teams hold a central place in workplace recycling because they empty the bins, spot contamination and see how staff sort their waste every day. Contaminated recycling can send entire batches to landfill, as Cleancorp outlines in its guide to recycling and cleaning, but clear labelling, visible signage and regular staff education protect the value of every collection.
Businesses planning activity for the week can start with the at work page and the wider resources for businesses collection, while the A-Z materials list shows what each recycling stream accepts. Facilities managers can use the councils directory to confirm local collection rules before they brief contractors and tenants.
Many workplaces also generate items that need a separate collection route. Planet Ark runs Batteries 4 Planet Ark and Cartridges 4 Planet Ark to give offices, schools and commercial sites a straightforward way to divert those materials from general waste.
Industry support for the 2026 campaign includes associate sponsors Coca-Cola Australia, Tetra Pak, Winc and Ecobatt, with Cleanaway among the supporting sponsors and Vinnies as community partner.
Cleaning businesses can use the week to audit bin placement, brief their teams and share recycling results with clients. Planet Ark invites everyone to keep reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling at home and in the community. National Recycling Week gives the industry a clear platform to lead by example.
