Until now, mostly all of Katherine's recyclable waste headed to a landfill site almost at capacity and costing ratepayers.

Residents have long called for urgent action and a solution to what many deem the number one concern.

"It is disgusting we don't have recycling options," Girl Guides leader Sam Ashmore said.

"The planet will be here for ever and we have to share with thousands of species, it is important that we take care of it."

Just twelve young Girl Guides and their two leaders have begun to tackle one of the town's leading environmental issues.

Partnering with innovative national organisations such as TerraCycle and Planet Ark, the Girl Guides have created a simple solution for many wanting residents.

It may have taken almost two years to get up and running, but a recycling drop-off point has finally launched.

Bread tags will be recycled into wheelchairs, plastic bottle caps will be sent to Envision Hands and made into prosthetic limbs, and the Girl Guides will be transforming unused clothes into reusable bags and giving them away at the markets.

Enviro bags line the Girl Guide's site fence on Stutterd Street accepting everything from printer cartridges, light bulbs, cans, and toothbrushes.

There isn't much they haven't thought of - and it's largely driven by the environmentally conscious youth who are fearful for their future.

Twelve-year-old Kylie Lambert may not have been part of the Girl Guides when they first began collecting rubbish from the streets, years ago, but she jumped at the chance to get involved.

The Girl Guide's weekly Tuesday night meeting will see a major shift from this week as they take on the huge responsibility of sorting through the town's recyclables.

"We are having issues, we have water shortages and big piles of rubbish in the ocean," Ms Lambert said.

"The environment is important, and what we are doing can help lots of different things, and be made into lots of different things."

Aware of the global impacts the environmental crisis is having on the most vulnerable, she said she is not only worried for her future.

"It is just going to get worse and worse," she said.

"We are just trying to do our bit."

Already, the initiative has gained traction. At yesterday's launch, a steady stream of recyclers dropped in to distribute their waste.

Amanda and her family from South Australia had been saving their waste since they first heard about the Girl Guides' initiative.

Loaded with bags, they said they were surprised to find just one bin on the street when they made the move to Katherine, most other towns have three.

"We were very surprised at the lack of options when we moved up here," she said.

"We started looking at what we could do as soon as we got here.

"It is what the world is focused on, and rightly so."

The family has not always found it easy to recycle, but sorting and saving is ingrained now.

Ten-year-old Erika has joined her school's environmental group Plastic is not Fantastic, and says the environment is the most concerning issue facing her generation.

"There are just so many facts about what will happen to the future," she said.

"One fact that really worries me is scientists predict that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish."

Recycling can be taken to the Girl Guides' site on Stutterd Street, Katherine South, every day for it to be sorted and sent off to partnering organisations.

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