Other options for household waste
Common household items that aren’t accepted in a Council bin can still be recycled if they’re dropped at the right place.
To find out if recycling options are available for a household item, use the search tool:
'Recycling Made Easy' near you
Recycling Made Easy began in 2018 as an initiative by passionate residents and Williamstown Community and Education Centre. There are now 12 Recycling Made Easy hubs located at libraries and community centres across Hobsons Bay, making recycling small household items easy and accessible.
We can recycle:
Available at Council+ locations only (libraries, civic centre). Not available at community centres.
We will take:
- AA batteries
- AAA batteries
- C batteries
- D batteries
- 9V batteries
- Button cell batteries
- Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable accepted
Please remember to tape the terminals on your batteries to reduce risk of fire.
We won't take:
- Large battery sizes not listed above
- Car batteries
- Swollen batteries
- Vapes (these can be recycled in the vape bins at Altona and Newport libraries)
Search the Planet Ark: Recycling Near You tool for alternative drop-off locations.
What happens to the batteries?
Plastics and precious metals are separated and used in the production of new items.
Recycling partner: Eco Cycle
We will take:
- Empty plastic and aluminium blister packs
- Empty paper and aluminium blister packs
We won't take:
- Blister packs with medication inside
- Other forms of medication packaging, including glass and plastic bottles
Take your expired or unused medication to your local pharmacy for disposal.
What happens to the blister packs?
Plastics, papers and aluminium are separated.
Plastic is repurposed into fencing and decking.
Aluminium is used in the steel making process.
Recycling partner: PharmaCycle
We will take:
Not sure what it's made of? Fold the tag in half - cardboard will tear or bend, plastic will snap.
We won't take:
- Paper bread tags
- Other bread packaging
- Wire twist ties
- Other small plastic items
What happens to the bread tags?
Volunteers sort the tags into colours.
They are then melted down and used to make plastic products.
These products are sold to fundraise for wheelchair users.
Recycling partner: Bread Tags for Wheelchairs
We will take:
- DVDs
- CDs
- Blue-ray discs
- Computer discs
- Gaming console discs
What happens to the CDs/DVDs?
Plastic is processed and used to produce plastic products for vehicle manufacturing.
Recycling partner: Green Collect
We will take:
- Small electronic items
- Phones
- Smart watches
- Cameras
- Radios
- Chargers
- Toys
- Tools
- Electrical accessories
Protect your privacy! Make sure all personal information is cleared from devices before recycling.
If batteries can be removed, please place them in the battery bin first.
We won't take:
- Large electronic items that do not fit in the cabinet
Did you know we have two e-waste drop-off days a year for larger items? Check What's on or keep an eye on our social media pages for updates on future events.
What happens to the e-waste?
Items which can be repaired are refurbished and sold.
Other items are broken down into components, with the recovered material sent for recycling.
Recycling partner: Green Collect
Available at libraries only. Not available at community centres.
We will take:
- Reading glasses
- Sun glasses
- Empty glasses frames
We won't take:
What happens to the glasses?
Glasses which can be reused are prepared and provided to Vision Australia.
Recycling partners: Green Collect and Lions Club
We will take:
- Fluorescent bulbs
- Incandescent bulbs
- Down lights
- Mercury lamps
- Sodium vapour lamps
We won't take:
- Light globes larger than the collection cabinet
- commercial quantities*
What happens to the light globes?
Metal is recycled.
Glass is used to make glass wool insulation.
Mercury is used to manufacture dental amalgam.
Phosphor powder is recycled into new fluorescent powder.
Recycling partner: Green Collect
*Recycling Made Easy is a residential service. If you are a construction or lighting business with regular light globe recycling needs, please reach out to Green Collect or another recycling company.
We will take:
- Empty and dry toothpaste tubes and caps
- Manual toothbrushes
- Electric toothbrush heads
- Toothbrush packaging
- Floss containers
We won't take:
- Used floss or toothpicks
- Electric toothbrush bodies (these can go in the e-waste slot!)
- Full or wet tubes
- Other personal care items, such as makeup packaging, moisturiser tubes or disposable razors
What happens to the oral care products?
Metals and plastics are separated and used to make new items.
Recycling partner: Terra Cycle
We will take:
- Inkjet cartridges (used and unused)
- Laser cartridges (used and unused)
- Toner bottles
- Fuser and drum units
- Print heads
- Waste hoppers
What happens to the printer cartridges?
Unused cartridges are prepared for resale.
Used cartridges are recycled into pen casings and asphalt additives.
Recycling partner: Green Collect
We will take:
- Pens
- Markers
- Ring binders
- Folders
- Any small plastic or metal stationery item
We won't take:
- Electronic stationery items (use the e-waste slot instead!)
- Large stationery items
- Commercial quantities*
What happens to the stationery?
Reusable items are prepared for resale.
Metals and plastics are shredded and granulated to be repurposed into new products.
Cardboard from binders is recycled into new notebooks and sold in Green Collect stores.
Recycling partner: Green Collect
*Recycling Made Easy is a residential service. If you have commercial quantities of stationery which exceed the capacity of our recycling cabinets, please reach out to Green Collect or another recycling company
Available at Altona and Newport Libraries only.
We will take:
- Disposable vapes and e-cigarettes (used and unused)
- Rechargeable vapes and e-cigarettes (used and unused)
We won't take:
- Chargers (these can be placed in the e-waste slot instead)
- Vape packaging
What happens to the vapes?
E-liquid is safely destroyed.
Precious metals are separated and extracted.
Leftover plastics are recycled where possible.
Recycling partner: Eco Cycle
We will take:
Protect your privacy! Remove all identifying information from x-rays before recycling.
We won't take:
What happens to the x-rays?
Silver is extracted and reused in jewellery, utensils and film manufacturing.
Recycling partner: Green Collect
*Recycling Made Easy is a residential service. If you are a medical business requiring regular x-ray recycling, please reach out to Green Collect or another recycling provider.
'Recycling Made Easy' Locations
- Altona Civic Centre: 115 Civic Parade, Altona
- Altona Library: 123 Queen Street, Altona
- Altona Meadows Library: 2 Newham Way, Altona Meadows
- Altona North Library: Corner Millers/McArthurs Roads, Altona North
- Laverton Hub: 95-105 Railway Avenue, Laverton
- Louis Joel Arts & Community Centre: 5 Sargood Street, Altona
- Newport Community Education Centre: 43 Mason Street, Newport
- Seabrook Community Centre: 15 Truganina Avenue, Seabrook
- South Kingsville Community Centre: 43 Paxton Street, South Kingsville
- Williamstown Community Education Centre: 14 Thompson Street, Williamstown
- Williamstown Library: 104 Ferguson Street, Williamstown
Download the Recycling Made Easy flyer(PDF, 2MB) for more information.
Other local recycling options
The below options can change over time. Contact each facility directly to enquire about fees and confirm they will accept your material.
Paper and cardboard
Cleanaway Brooklyn Resource Recovery Centre, 174 Old Geelong Road, Brooklyn
8391 1480
Paint
Paintback - Port Phillip Resource Recovery Centre, 78 White Street, South Melbourne
9209 6686
Mobile phones
Mobilemuster - available at Officeworks, Telstra, Salvos and Optus stores
Find a mobilemuster drop off point
Repairable items
Repair your item at Altona Repair Cafe
Something else?
If your item isn't listed above, try searching the Planet Ark: Recycling Near You tool to find alternatives.
Some items may also be recycled or disposed of at a nearby landfill or transfer station.