Recycling is still presenting a problem in some households, it would seem.

In particular, Ballarat, when compared to our neighbouring municipalities, has some work to do.

The survey, conducted by the Highlands Regional Waste Management Group, found that about 65 per cent of the stuff we send to the tip doesn't have to go there.

When you think about it, that's a lot of landfill space that's being taken up unnecessarily.

Foodstuffs and garden waste - all decompostable - make up more than half what goes in our rubbish bins.

Recyclable paper, cardboard and other products account for another 15 per cent, while dangerous and hazardous goods, which need special disposal procedures, make up 10 per cent.

Laid out like that, the statistics paint a sad picture of our attitude towards the environment.

That's a pity, because we all know the importance of being responsible - and it's a responsibility that falls on all of us.

Clearly we can do better.

If we use our waste disposal services properly, we could dramatically extend the life expectancy of our landfill sites - a significant cost saving to ratepayers in the longer term.

The survey findings suggest that public education campaigns are the key to getting more people to comply, particularly here in Ballarat.

That may be so, but the recycling and littering messages have been out there long enough for us to understand already what we should be doing.

Hopefully, as happened with out water shortage, we won't need to get to near-crisis point before we take serious notice and change our habits.

That State Government wants us to be diverting 65 per cent of our waste from landfill by 2014.

On that basis, Ballarat still has a long way to go.

We have to try harder.

A good start will be for us all to think twice before we toss ``rubbish'' in the bin.