A recycling initiative at a New South Wales prison has diverted almost 80 tonnes of waste from landfill while raising vital funds for homelessness services.
Maximum security inmates at the South Coast Correctional Centre have been sorting and recycling material from inside the prison, including their aluminium meal trays, drink containers and cardboard, since 2019.
Program coordinator Steve Orton said the initiative had had an enormous impact on the prison's environmental footprint.
"We've recycled about 56 tonnes of cardboard and about 26 tonnes of co-mingled waste," he said.
"It's quite a lot, and that stuff is not going to landfill anymore.
"One hundred per cent of that waste was just going into the big red bins, so it's a bit of a change-up."
Making a difference
Mr Orton said it was an incredibly beneficial program for the inmates, who could also able to obtain qualifications to assist their transition back into the community after their release.
"It breaks up the day for the inmates — it gets them out of the yard and out of their cells and helps make their days go quicker," he said.
"It helps them in their day-to-day, too, because they know they're making a bit of a difference.
"Through the training section of the jail we've also integrated some qualifications, so a few of the guys are doing a Certificate 3 in waste management."
Paying it forward
The drink containers are recycled through the New South Wales government's Return and Earn initiative and the aluminium meal trays are sold to a scrap metal recycler.
Mr Orton said all the money that had been raised was donated to the Shoalhaven Homeless Hub.
"It was going to be a one-off thing, but it's ended up being a bit of partnership," he said.
"The inmate delegate committee had a bit of a brainstorm with the admins and management and hand-picked a few local charities, but the Homeless Hub was selected.
"The guys, when they leave, they could end up having to use that service for themselves."
Homeless Hub team leader Julie Bugden said the donations from the prison were an enormous help to the service and she hoped the program would help to curb reoffending.
"That money helps us organise activities for our homeless clients, especially the ones that have been released from jail, where they're not socially isolated," she said.
"Hopefully it gives the inmates a purpose, to prevent that recidivism."
The South Coast Correctional Centre has plans to expand the program in 2023, to include the separation of food waste.
A similar recycling initiative is conducted at the North Coast Correctional Centre at Kempsey and at the privately run Clarence Correctional Centre.
Corrective Services NSW also has plans to roll out the program more widely at prisons across the state.
The program is being recognised as part of National Corrections Day on Friday.
