Community Recycling Centres are NOW OPEN across Southern Sydney
What can I drop off at a Community Recycling Centre?
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Household and car batteries
Battery recycling keeps toxic materials out of landfill and in our ecosystem. Reusing materials in every battery means we can conserve our natural resources.
As we scale up our reliance on renewables, demand for batteries is set to increase 500% by 2050.
B-cycle is a national stewardship scheme for household batteries run by the Battery Stewardship Council. How it works: importers pay a levy which funds the Scheme; retailers sell accredited battery brands; used batteries are deposited in B-cycle receptacles at groceries and other drop-off points; accredited participants earn rebates by collecting and sorting; recovered materials make new batteries.
Used car batteries and other used lead-acid batteries are hazardous waste and should be disposed through the CRC or recycling programs. Lead-acid batteries should never be put in your recycling or garbage bin at home.
Lead-acid batteries also include batteries in motorcycles, boats, emergency lighting, and air conditioners.
For more on where to recycle these items, visit Recycling Near You.
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Gas and LPG bottles
Do not dispose gas bottles in any of your bins at home as they may explode if they are crushed. This includes nitrous oxide receptacles and propane gas cans. These are accepted at all CRCs.
You can also drop off most LPG or BBQ gas at petrol stations, hardware stores and other exchange services, where the bottles will be tested and refilled for reuse, or scrapped for recycling.
For more on where to recycle these items, visit Recycling Near You.
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Paint
Recycling old household paint tins helps recover valuable materials, keeps harmful substances out of the environment, and supports a more sustainable community.
Paints are mixed with other waste solvents and used as an alternative to fuel in cement kilns. The metal containers are recycled.
Circle Paint supports reuse of unwanted paints dropped off by the community. https://circlepaints.org.au/
For more on where to recycle these items, visit Recycling Near You.
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Fluoro globes and tubes
Most light bulbs can be recycled through special council, commercial or community programs. They should not be put in your household recycling or garbage bin because they contain toxic substances that are hazardous to the environment.
Older style globes such as incandescent and halogen are only accepted at some programs. It is safe to wrap them in paper and put these bulbs in the garbage bin if you cannot find a recycling option.
For more on where to recycle these items, visit Recycling Near You.
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Used cooking oils and motor oils
To recycle old or used cooking oil, collect it in a container and drop it off at a recycler that accepts oil. Small amounts of cooking oil can be disposed of in garden composts.
Incorrect disposal down drains and sinks can lead to plumbing and environmental problems. Recycling the oil ensures it’s not wasted, doesn’t damage the environment and remains part of the circular economy.
For more on where to recycle these items, visit Recycling Near You.
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Smoke detectors
Both ionisation and photoelectric smoke detectors can be disposed of in any quantity in the normal waste stream or at community recycling centres. The EPA does not consider the level of radiation to present a health hazard. There may be regulatory requirements for disposal of 10 or more ionisation detectors at one time – so it’s safer to dispose at a CRC.
Click here to read about the difference between photoelectric and ionisation smoke detectors.
