NSW EPA: Household problem waste education and engagement program
Client:
NSW Environment Protection Authority
Project:
Household Problem Waste CALD Education and Engagement
Industry/sector:
Government
Date of execution:
September 2025
Services:
Translations, community engagement and resource development
At a glance
The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) engaged Cultural Perspectives to lead the development and delivery of a state-wide education and engagement program tailored for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. The program raised awareness of two key household waste initiatives, Household Chemical CleanOut (HCC) and Community Recycling Centres (CRC), through translated resources, CALD media campaigns, stakeholder outreach and in-language community education.
Our approach combined environmental subject-matter expertise with deep cultural insight, ensuring that the messaging was clear, inclusive and relevant across 12 CALD language groups.
Subject matter
Environmental sustainability, waste education and multicultural community engagement.
Demonstrated expertise
Culturally tailored resource development, translation coordination, multilingual community engagement and insights reporting.
Project description
Objectives
To inform CALD communities across New South Wales about proper disposal practices for household problem waste, specifically through the HCC and CRC programs, via a multi-channel, multilingual education strategy.
The program focused on adults aged 30 and above, offering information in 12 languages: Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Assyrian, Greek, Macedonian, Farsi, Portuguese and Italian.
What Cultural Perspectives delivered
Resource review and translations
Reviewed three core EPA information flyers for cultural appropriateness
Translated and produced:
- Chemical Recycling Centre DL flyer in 13 languages
- Four-page Household Chemical CleanOut flyer in 13 languages
- Eight-page Multilingual CleanOut flyer in 13 languages.
Community engagement tools
PowerPoint Presentation (translated into six languages) used in education sessions, covering:
- What is household problem waste?
- How and where to dispose of it safely
- CRC and HCC program information
- Links to the EPA Accessible Participant Pack and further resourcesSocial Tiles - Three campaign tiles designed using real-life CALD families from a photoshoot to support digital engagement
Accessible Partnership Pack - An interactive, mobile-friendly PDF with educational content available in nine languages.
Stakeholder and media relations
Developed a targeted stakeholder list of 160 individuals and organisations.
Designed a stakeholder eDM and provided a full kit of resources for distribution.
Produced a media release for distribution across 68 media partners in nine languages, promoting the program resources and events.
Community Engagement Activities
Delivered eight in-language education sessions, co-facilitated with community partners and attended by 10–30 participants each
Ran two stall activations at local community events, engaging the public through casual conversations and resource distribution.
Key outcomes
Community reach - Approximately 670 individuals were directly engaged through educational sessions and events
Stakeholder amplification - Additional visibility and engagement were achieved via post-event social media shares by community partners and stakeholders
Program Impact - The initiative successfully increased awareness of EPA waste disposal programs among CALD audiences, using culturally appropriate channels and formats to drive behavioural change.
IAP2 spectrum of public participation
Above: The Household Problem Waste Education and Engagement program fell within the inform phase of the IAP2 spectrum of public participation.
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