Other options for household waste

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:

• Plastic bread tags

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: 

• Contact lenses or cases 

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:

• All x-rays 

Protect your privacy! Remove all identifying information from x-rays before recycling. 

We won't take: 

• Commercial quantities*

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.