A-Z waste and recycling guide

Check out our A – Z guide on how you can dispose of common household items plus other ways you can keep waste out of landfill and give it a second life.

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Recycle your aluminium cans in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Or take them to any Return and Earn facility to earn 10 cents per item.

 

 

Recycle your aluminium foil in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Scrunch loosely in a ball the size of your fist before recycling.

 

Asbestos should NOT be placed in any kerbside bin, public place bin or mixed with other wastes.

There are very specific requirements for the handling and disposal of asbestos due to the significant health risk to you, our community and the environment if not disposed of correctly.

Handling asbestos

Products containing asbestos generally do not pose a risk if they are in good condition and are undisturbed. It is when products and materials that contain asbestos are weathered, broken or punctured that harmful fibres can be released.

All homeowners and renovators should seek out accurate information before commencing any building or renovating around their home. We recommend the use of a licensed asbestos removal contractor for the removal of all asbestos-based building materials.

It is important to seek advice about correct identification, removal and handling of products containing asbestos. Special precautions should always be taken, even for minor renovation works that don't require Council approval.

Council recommends that you:

  • treat all fibro sheets as if they contain asbestos unless tested
  • use a licensed asbestos removal contractor to remove all materials containing asbestos

Removing asbestos

All building subject to development approval from Council requires a licensed contractor to remove asbestos.

The law requires a licensed asbestos removal contractor be used for:

  • the removal of all friable asbestos products
  • the removal of more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos

Disposing of asbestos

Building products that contain asbestos are required to be disposed of at a licensed waste facility. The Awaba Waste Management Facility is our licensed facility.

The dumping of asbestos in any place that is not licensed to receive asbestos waste is an offence that carries a penalty of up to $5000.

Requirements for disposing of asbestos

  • A minimum of 24 hours notice must be given to the Supervisor of the Awaba Waste Management Facility on 4921 0778 prior to the disposal of all quantities of asbestos.
  • At the time of booking, we will enter the details into the Facility's asbestos booking diary and advise you of the EPA's WasteLocate program.
  • Asbestos material may be disposed at the Awaba Waste Management Facility between 8am-noon, Monday to Friday.
  • Asbestos will not be accepted during wet weather.
  • Asbestos must be wet to avoid the creation of dust and must be wrapped in heavy-duty plastic or other NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), WorkCover or National Australia Testing Authority (NATA) approved wrapping system, such as Hazi Bags.
  • It must be in manageable bundles that maintain their integrity during the unloading process.
  • Before transporting asbestos waste (greater than 10 square metres or 100kg), each load needs to have a unique EPA consignment ID generated by logging into WasteLocate and following the on-screen prompts.
  • We will inspect each load using CCTV located at the weighbridge. If a load does not visibly comply, it will be rejected.
  • You will be required to scan the WasteLocate QR2id plate located adjacent to the inbound Gatehouse window (for asbestos loads greater than 100kg).
  • We will check that the driver has scanned the QR2id plate. If the QR2id plate has not been scanned, we will record this against the transaction and advise the driver of the EPA's WasteLocate program by providing an EPA brochure.
  • It is your responsibility to share your name and address with staff at the Facility, as well as nature of the load to ensure correct charges apply.
  • It is your responsibility to unload your vehicle. It is not the responsibility of the Awaba Waste Management Facility staff to assist in the unloading of asbestos from any vehicle.
  • If during the unloading, a load is deemed to not comply with Council's requirements, for example the wrapping has split or the material is not appropriately covered, then:
    • You must wet down and cover the asbestos with plastic to a degree that complies with Council's requirements.
    • If you are unprepared or unable to fulfil these requirements, the Facility Supervisor will decide on how to proceed with the asbestos disposal process. This may result in you being directed to remove the asbestos off-site.

Baby items such as clothes, toys and equipment can be given away to friends, sold online or donated to charity shops.

Do not put household batteries in any of your bins at home. Batteries can cause fires in trucks and waste facilities

Take them to the Community Recycling Centre, a Community Recycling Station, a Chemical CleanOut, Woolworths, Aldi, Bunnings or Officeworks for safe disposal. See B-cycle for other drop off points.

You can drop off household batteries and light globes, free of charge, at the following locations:

From 1 March 2023, fluoro tubes are no longer accepted at any library, the Works Depot or the Administrative building. 

These tubes present challenges with safe handling, transport and storage and can no longer be accepted at these locations.

However, after this time they can still be recycled at:

Automotive batteries can be disposed of at the Community Recycling Centre at the Awaba Waste Management Facility.

All light globes must be clean and unbroken.

Lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries can now be recycled at the Community Recycling Centre at the Awaba Waste Management Facility.

These batteries – typically found in rechargeable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, e-bikes, electric toothbrushes and power tools – are flammable and potentially dangerous when exposed to heat or compression.

It’s important to avoid placing these items in your garbage bin and to dispose of them correctly – making sure to tape over the terminals before dropping them off at a battery recycling collection point.

This helps reduce the risk of harm to our community, Council staff and our waste collection vehicles.

Bunnings and Battery World stores also accept these batteries for recycling.

Follow the link to learn more about how to take charge of your battery waste.

Books can be given away to friends and family, sold online or donated to local organisations.

Books in poor condition can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

 

Building material waste should not be placed in your household bins.

Dependent upon the waste, some construction materials can be taken to Concrush or AMS Recycling

Awaba Waste Management Facility accepts building materials (fees apply) or you can choose to hire a skip through a private contractor (fees apply)

Construction materials including asbestos, fibro sheets and planks, rubble and concrete are not accepted as part of the bulky waste collection

Asbestos can be taken to Awaba Waste Management Facility, however it must be pre-booked.

Click here to find out how to safely handle and dispose of asbestos. 

If items such as lounges or dining tables are in usable condition, considering selling them online, giving away to friends or family or listing for free on platforms such as Freecycle.

Alternatively, these items can be placed out with your next bulky waste collection.

 

Recycle cardboard boxes and other cardboard such as paper towel rolls, greeting cards and cereal boxes in your yellow-lidded recycling bin. Flatten to make more room in your bin.

Excess cardboard can be taken to the Community Recycling Centre free of charge.

Make sure you remove all non-paper items like bubble wrap and plastic packaging.

Reuseable carpets and rugs can either be sold online or given away for free on sites such as Freecycle.

If they are not reusable, they can be placed out with your next bulky waste collection (maximum length of 1.5 metres).

 

Household chemicals such as pesticides, fertilisers, pool chemicals and acids can be taken to a Chemical CleanOut free of charge.

Please ensure that lids are secure and have a label where possible.

Lake Mac residents will be able to safely dispose of hazardous household waste free of charge at the upcoming Chemical CleanOut. We remain committed to the safety of our community and team members, so operators at the CleanOut will abide by necessary COVID-19 restrictions and health measures.

As with previous Chemical Cleanouts, visitors will be required to stay in their vehicles at all times while the operators remove the waste from car boots, trays or trailers.

Household quantities of the following household chemicals and items are permitted (up to a maximum of 20 litres or 20 kilograms of a single item), except paint. Up to 100 litres (in 20L containers) of paint accepted.

- Solvents and household cleaners
- Floor care products
- Ammonia-based cleaners
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Poisons
- Pool chemicals
- Hobby chemicals
- Motor fuels
- Fluorescent globes and tubes
- Acids and alkalis
- Smoke detectors
- Paint and paint-related products
- Gas bottles
- Fire extinguishers
- Car and household batteries
- Motor oils and cooking oils

For more information, including what waste can be disposed of at the Chemical CleanOut, visit epa.nsw.gov.au.

Follow the link to check when the next Chemical CleanOut is scheduled.

Real Christmas trees can be chopped up and put in the green waste bin or placed out with your next bulky waste collection.

Artificial Christmas trees - if reusable - can be donated to a charity shop, sold online or given away for free on sites such as Freecycle.

 

 

You can leave unwanted coat hangers at the shop when you make your new purchase.

Some charity shops may accept them and reuse them.

Coat hangers do not go in your recycling bin.

Reusable coffee cups can be taken to charity shops, given away or taken to your workplace kitchen.

Ceramic cups must not be placed in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Please put disposable coffee cups from high-street coffee shops in your garbage bin.

You can’t recycle coffee cups in your recycling bin. This is because they are often lined with plastic to help them hold liquid and stop the paper cup going soggy.

Compostable coffee cups can take years to break down and should not be placed in your green waste bin.

Choose to reuse - reduce waste and save some money by using your own reusable coffee cup.

Some coffee pod brands have their own recycling scheme, where they will collect used pods from your home or you can bring them to back to the shop where you purchased them from.

Some brands have partnered with Terracycle to recycle coffee pods and capsules. Check for a recycling drop off point near you.

If there isn’t a recycling scheme near you, please put coffee pods in your garbage bin.

Choose to reuse - Did you know you can buy reusable coffee pods?

 

Compostable or biodegradable packaging like cups, cutlery, straws go in your garbage bin.

Please do not put these sorts of compostable items in your green waste bin.

The contents of your green waste bin are processed into compost in 8-10 weeks.

Compostable packaging takes much longer to break down, sometimes it can take years.

This means that they won’t be composted at the same time as your food and garden waste.

However, you can compost your compostable packaging in a home compost bin.

Any electrical items large or small can be recycled at a Community Recycling Centre, some electrical retailers or placed out with your next bulky waste collection in the e-waste pile.

Before you throw away your tech, it’s worth searching online for repair shops to see if it can be fixed.

Free collections of e-waste can also be booked through Matthews Metal Management.

Do not put electrical items in any of your bins at home.

 

Construction and Demolition waste should not be placed in your household bins.

Dependent upon the waste, some construction materials can be taken to Concrush or AMS Recycling.

Awaba Waste Management Facility accepts construction materials (fees apply) or you can choose to hire a skip through a private contractor (fees apply)

Construction materials including asbestos, fibro sheets and planks, rubble and concrete are not accepted as part of the bulky waste collection

Asbestos can be taken to Awaba Waste Management Facility, however it must be pre-booked. Click here to fond out how to safely handle and dispose of asbestos.

Take corks to The Makers Place at Teralba, where they are used for craft purposes. 

Alternatively offer them to preschools, schools or OOSH and childcare groups for use in arts and crafts activities.

Empty cosmetic jars (plastic and glass) can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Remove plastic lids from glass jars and place both in your recycling bin.

Some cosmetic retailers including Priceline, Mecca and Sephora will take back used, empty cosmetics through Terracycle.

Cotton wool, makeup pads and wipes go in your garbage bin.

Please do not put these in the yellow-lidded or green waste bins.

Do not flush these down the toilet.

Place loose or in green bags in your green waste bin.

Plastic and glass drinks bottles go in your yellow-lidded recycling bin at home. You can also recycle other plastic bottles such as cleaning product bottles, trigger spray bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles and milk bottles.

Remove all lids from plastic bottles and recycle those too.

Alternatively take most drinks bottles to a local Return and Earn facility.

 

Broken drinking glasses should be wrapped securely and placed into your general waste bin. They should not go in the yellow-lidded recycling bin.

This is because they are made out of toughened glass containing chemicals that can’t be recycled with your glass bottles and jars.

Donate drinking glasses that are still in a good condition.

 

Some charity shops and homeless shelters accept clean duvets and bedding.

You can also donate used bedding to some dog homes including Dog Rescue Newcastle or Council’s animal holding facility at the Works Depot, Boolaroo.

 

Do not put electrical or battery powered items in any of your bins at home.

Batteries can cause fires in trucks and waste facilities.

Electrical items can be recycled at a Community Recycling Centre, some electrical retailers or placed out with your next bulky waste collection in the e-waste pile.

Free collections of e-waste can also be booked through Matthews Metal Management.

Before you throw away your tech, it’s worth searching online for repair shops to see if it can be fixed.

Recycle these in your yellow-lidded recycling bin or give to someone that keeps chickens.

Place envelopes in the yellow-lidded recycling bin. Windowed envelopes are accepted.

 

eWaste can be disposed of through your bulk waste collection service or at the Community Recycling Centre at the Awaba Waste Management Facility.

It is important that eWaste is placed in a separate pile for bulk waste collection as this waste is picked up separately.

Some eWaste items contain lithium-ion batteries which should not be mixed in with general bulk waste as they can be flammable when mixed with other waste inside the compactor collection trucks. Examples of these items include battery powered handheld vacuum cleaners, mobile phones and battery powered tools.

eWaste includes:

  • televisions (whole undamaged units only)
  • computers, laptops, tablets and associated computer products
  • printers and fax machines
  • mobile phones and accessories
  • CD and DVD discs
  • stereos, video, DVD and Blu-ray players
  • power tools
  • portable household appliances including battery powered hand eld vacuums
  • ceiling fans
  • all light fixtures and fittings (no glass lamp shades and covers)

Excluded items include:

  • whitegoods including washing machines, fridges, ovens and clothes dryers
  • vacuum cleaners (plug in vacuums only)
  • household and car batteries
  • VHS tapes
  • damaged televisions and monitors (which are deemed to be hazardous), minimal damage is accepted but if it is crushed it will not be accepted
  • fluoro tubes and globes

Please refer to Hunter Resource Recovery for full list of items accepted. 

Household batteries, CD and DVD's and mobile phones and accessories can also be recycled at Community Recycling Stations located at Council's Administration Building, Council's Works Depot, and Lake Mac Libraries Cardiff, Charlestown, Belmont, Morisset, SwanseaToronto branches, Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre and Sugar Valley Library Museum.

Fibre glass should not be placed in the garbage bin. Take to Awaba Waste Management Facility for disposal (fees apply).

It is not accepted as part of a next bulky waste collection.

 

You can take fire extinguishers from your home to a Community Recycling Centre, or a Chemical CleanOutPlease do not put them in any of your bins at home as they may explode if they are crushed. You can contact the company that you purchased the fire extinguisher from, they will usually take it back so that they can refill it for reuse.

In commercial premises, extinguishers usually need to be replaced after five years. To check if yours need replacing, check the date (not too old), gauge (not out of pressure) and that pins are in (not used, empty or partially empty).  Replace if rusty.

The steel is fully recyclable. Some extinguishers can be refilled at a fire equipment business, but this may cost more than a replacement extinguisher.

Recycle fire extinguishers for free at:

 

BCF/Halon all yellow fire extinguishers

If you have any BCF/Halon fire extinguishers (the extinguisher is all yellow in colour), please hand these in to the NSW Fire Brigade. Do not use this extinguisher, as it contains chemicals that damage the ozone layer.  Hand the all-yellow BCF/Halon extinguishers in for free to:

NSW Fire Brigade stations (Arcadia Vale, Belmont, Cardiff, Holmesville, Morisset, Swansea, Teralba, Tingira Heights, Toronto) - free

 

Prevent waste

Dry Chemical Powder (ABE) fire extinguishers (red with a white band or label) should be turned upside down and shaken for 10 minutes every six months to ensure that the powder is free flowing when needed on a fire.

 

These can be rinsed and recycled at the Community Recycling Centre as part of the soft plastics collection.

Foil/sliver soft plastics are not accepted as these require separate processing than clear/coloured soft plastics. Foil plastics should go in the garbage bin.

 

Fridges and freezers in working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using platforms such as Freecycle

Retailers may collect your unwanted white goods when they deliver your new one.

Your fridge or freezer can be placed out with your next bulky waste collection (door and shelves removed) or via a free booked collection from Matthews Metal Management.

 

You can donate useable furniture directly to a furniture reuse organisation or charity. Some offer a free collection service.

Or sell online or give away for free on platforms such as  Freecycle.

Only unusable furniture should be placed out for a bulky waste collection.

All garden waste can be put in your green waste bin.

This includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Common garden weeds

Please do not put soil in your green waste bin.

You can take gas bottles from your home to a Community Recycling Centre or a Chemical CleanOut.

Please do not put them in any of your bins at home as they may explode if they are crushed.

You can also use the Swap n Go facilities at some service stations and hardware stores, where the bottles will be tested and refilled for reuse.

You can recycle gas cylinders at the following locations:

Your original supplier may also accept used gas cylinders.

 NO LPG cylinders from cars accepted

Paper gift wrap and tissue paper can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling with all bows, ribbon and plastics removed (dispose of these in the garbage bin).

Do not put cellophane or other plastic wrap and non-paper wrap in the recycling bin.

Window glass and mirrors can be taken to Awaba Management Facility for disposal (fees apply).

Window, crockery and mirror glass can’t be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

This is because they are made of a toughened glass containing chemicals that can’t be recycled with your glass bottles and jars. These types of glass do not melt at the same temperature as bottles and jars. If these types of glass enter the glass recycling process, it can result in new containers being rejected.

Crockery glass can be disposed in your garbage bin.

Glass and mirrors are also not accepted as part of your bulky waste collection.

You can recycle glass bottles and jars (all colours) in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Some glass bottles can be returned to a Return and Earn facility for a 10 cent refund.

 

All greetings cards can be recycled in the yellow lidded recycling bin.

This is classed as building materials and should be taken to Awaba Waste Management Facility (fees apply) or disposed of through commercial skip hire (fees apply).

Do not place gyprock out for a bulky waste collection.

 

Hard plastics such as broken garden furniture, broken toys and hard plastic storage containers cannot be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

They should be placed on the kerb as part of your next bulky waste collection.

Or disposed of in the garbage bin.

Hazardous waste is any type of waste that can harm human health or the environment, or is difficult to handle.
Each of the items on the lists below are classed as hazardous waste.

You can take the following hazardous items from your home to a Community Recycling Centre (or see other detailed listings in this directory).

  • TV and computer monitors
  • Batteries
  • E-waste
  • Fridges and freezers
  • Fluorescent light tubes
  • Engine oil
  • Lead acid (automotive) batteries

Free collections of e-waste can also be booked through Matthews Metal Management.

Asbestos is not accepted at our Community Recycling Centre. Asbestos must be taken to our licenced facility at Awaba Waste Management Facility through prior arrangement only.

What is hazardous waste?

  • explosive, flammable, toxic or corrosive waste, such as petrol, diesel and alcohol
  • oxidising agents and organic pesticides
  • pharmaceuticals, poisons, clinical, cytotoxic and sharps waste
  • chemical waste subject to control under the Environmentally Hazardous Chemicals Act 1985
  • radioactive material
  • contaminated soils such as acid sulphate soils
  • liquid waste of any nature, whether contained or not, such as beer or dairy products
  • any soluble acid or alkali acidic and basic compounds
  • human tissue or body waste
  • whole tyres, less than 1.2 metres in diameter
  • any other material classified as unsuitable for disposal at a Solid Waste Landfill Class 1 Facility

Disposing of paint

  • Paint can be disposed of in your household garbage bin, provided it has first been dried out. You can do this by pouring the paint onto kitty litter or newspaper.
  • Dry, empty paint tins can be disposed of in your household recycling bin.
  • Unwanted paint can also be disposed of, free of charge, at the Community Recycling Centre at the Awaba Waste Management Facility or at biannual Chemical CleanOut events.

Disposing of solvents, cleaners, pesticides and other hazardous waste

You can dispose of other hazardous material at biannual Chemical CleanOut events. Accepted waste includes:

  • solvents and household cleaners
  • floor care products
  • ammonia-based cleaners
  • fluorescent globes and tubes
  • car batteries
  • motor oils, fuels and fluids
  • paint and paint-related products
  • pesticides and herbicides
  • poisons
  • gas bottles
  • fire extinguishers
  • pool chemicals
  • hobby chemicals
  • acids and alkalis

Hearing aids may be collected for charity. Collection points may be found at:

  • Doctors surgeries
  • Hospital audiology departments
  • Private hearing specialists
  • Charity shops
  • Organisations like The Lions Clubs

Donated hearing aids sometimes can be repaired and refurbished.

Do not put items with batteries in any of your bins at home as this may cause fires in trucks or waste facilities.

Consider passing on jewellery to friends or family.

Precious jewellery can also be sold back to gold and silver merchants.

Jewellery and watches are accepted by many charity shops.

Junk mail can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Junk mail items includes:

  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Telephone directories & catalogues
  • Envelopes
  • Takeaway menus and leaflets

Please remove all plastic wrapping and elastic bands.

Clean aluminium foil and foil trays can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Foil should be scrunched into a ball.

This does not include plastic foil items such as chip packets or pet food pouches. These items can look like aluminium foil but are actually made from metallised plastic film. You can put these in your garbage bin.

To find out if an item is foil or metallised plastic film, do the scrunch test. Simply scrunch the item in your hand – if it stays ‘scrunched’ it is foil and can be recycled. If it springs back it is probably metallised plastic film and can’t be recycled.

Lamps in working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using platforms such as Freecycle.

You can also take lamps to a Community Recycling Centre and put them in the e-waste container without the shade.

Free collections of e-waste can also be booked through Matthews Metal Management.

Do not put electrical items in any of your bins at home.

 

Leaves can be placed in your green waste bin.

Lids can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin. Remove them from the jar or bottle and recycle separately.

 

Lithium-ion batteries are often found in rechargeable devices such as power tools, mobile phones, e-scooters and laptops. When exposed to heat or compression they can easily ignite.

Do NOT put these in any of your bins at home. These batteries can cause fires in collection trucks and at waste facilities.

Recycle them at a Community Recycling Centre, a Chemical CleanOut and retail outlets such as hardware stores and battery retailers.

Take-charge-web-banner.jpg

Did you know that batteries can be dangerous when disposed of in your household kerbside bins?

Batteries can cause fires when mixed with garbage, recyclables and bulk waste, particularly when they're compressed or exposed to heat.

Across Australia, hundreds of fires occur in garbage trucks and waste facilities, compromising service and putting people at risk of injury. 

How to recycle your used batteries

  1. Collect your used batteries.
  2. Identify and separate your batteries, such as non-rechargeable alkaline batteries from rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
  3. Tape the terminals of your batteries.
  4. Find your nearest drop-off point.
  5. Drop off your used batteries.
  6. Feel good for responsibly recycling your battery waste.  

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I put batteries in my household bins?

Batteries are flammable and potentially dangerous if exposed to heat. They can combust and start fires when compacted in garbage trucks, putting the community, council staff and property at risk.

Even if they don’t cause a fire, batteries contain chemicals and materials that can harm the environment.

Batteries should be recycled at battery recycling collection points across the city.

blacksmiths-wastefire.jpg

Emergency services work to extinguish a fire in Blacksmiths. The waste had to be dumped from the garbage truck due to catching fire, suspected to be caused by batteries.

Are all types of batteries dangerous?

All types of batteries can be dangerous if disposed of incorrectly.

All batteries are potentially flammable if crushed or damaged, which can cause fires in garbage trucks and at waste management facilities.

Each year in Australia, more than 300 million batteries are thrown away with ordinary household waste, meaning a staggering 8,000 tonnes end up in landfill.

When batteries end up in landfill, they leach toxic materials into waterways and the environment.

How do I tell what sort of battery I have?

Batteries come in all shapes and sizes and are used in a variety of consumer goods.

Your battery or device should say what type it is.

Common batteries, such as small batteries found in household items, are readily recycled at most drop-off points -see the interactive map below for options.

Speciality batteries, such as those found in electronics, cars and power tools, are only collected at some facilities.

However, these are the most important to recycle as they are the most flammable. These are usually rechargeable and are becoming increasingly common in household items, including:

  • Mobile phones
  • Power tools (e.g. whipper snippers, lawnmowers, drills)
  • Laptops and tablets
  • Electric bikes and scooters
  • Electric toothbrushes
  • Solar power backup storage

Why are lithium-ion batteries so important to recycle?

Lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries alone are consistently responsible for around 25 per cent of all fires at waste management facilities.

A recent rise in the popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, as well as other vehicles using lithium-ion batteries, has contributed to an increase in battery fires nationwide.

More than 450 fires have been linked to lithium-ion batteries over the past 18-24 months across Australia alone, with incidents rising exponentially year after year.

Fire and Rescue NSW reported 180 lithium-ion battery related fires in 2022 compared to just 16 in 2021, and this trend appears to be continuing as these batteries become more prevalent.

Council has added a drop off point at the Awaba Community Recycling Centre to assist with the safe disposal of these batteries, which are also accepted at Bunnings and Battery World stores.

How are the batteries recycled?

Council has partnered with Envirostream to recycle batteries collected at Council facilities. Envirostream’s battery recycling technology is able to recover around 95 per cent of the materials that make up a battery, with no incineration involved.

This includes plastic, nickel, steel and lithium that are given a new life.

For more information on how non-Council facilities recycle their batteries, please contact them directly.

Tips for collecting used batteries

  • Keep a glass or plastic container for used batteries near your household rubbish bin. Don’t store batteries in a metal container as it can create a fire hazard.
  • Take your batteries with you next time you visit the library or supermarket and safely drop them off for recycling.
  • Schedule in a regular drop-off. Don’t store batteries for longer than six months.
  • Keep your batteries in a cool and dry place.
  • Keep batteries away from children, especially small batteries that can be a choking hazard.

Usage and storage tips

To help ensure batteries are used safely, Fire and Rescue NSW advises the below:

  • Do not over-charge Lithium-ion batteries or leave them charging overnight unattended
  • Do not charge Lithium-ion batteries on beds, sofas or around highly flammable and insulating materials
  • Always use compliant and approved charging equipment for Lithium-ion batteries, don’t mix and match components and voltage
  • Avoid dropping, crushing or piercing Lithium-ion battery cells
  • Store Lithium-ion batteries in a cool, dry area away from combustible materials, and larger devices like e-bikes and gardening tools should be stored outside of bedrooms and living spaces
  • Do not charge or use Lithium-ion batteries that show signs of damage

 

 

Battery drop-off points

Please recycle your used batteries at designated drop-off locations, including the Awaba Community Recycling Centre or participating retailers like ALDI, Bunnings, Coles, Woolworths, Council’s administration building and Battery World.

There are over 30 drop-off points across the city, including Council facilities and businesses. Use the handy map below to find a drop-off point that's convenient for you.

If you are taking your batteries to a non-Council facility, please call them to check drop-off arrangements.

Thank you for helping protect our environment, the community and Council staff. 

 

For drop-off points outside of the Lake Macquarie LGA, visit B-cycle.

News and media

 

Magazines and catalogues can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin (remove all plastic wrapping) including:

  • Magazines and catalogues
  • Newspapers
  • Books
  • Envelopes
  • Junk mail such as takeaway menus

Choose to reuse Share your magazines with your friends and family so they get used more than once before being recycled.

 

Makeup pads, wipes and cotton wool go in your garbage bin.

Pleasedo not put these in the yellow-lidded or green waste bins, even if they are labelled compostable.

 

You can donate your mattress to some charities if it’s in a reusable condition.

Often, retailers will collect your unwanted mattress when they deliver your new one (please note that some retailers may charge for collection).

Mattresses can also be placed out with your next bulky waste collection, or they can be taken directly to Awaba Waste Management Facility using a bulky waste drop off voucher. Otherwise, fees will apply.

Mattresses are notoriously difficult to recycle, as they are created using a range of materials including metal coils, cotton and wool fibres, springs, foam and other textiles.

Council has partnered with a local company to try and recycle as much mattress content as possible.

There are three ways to recycle a mattress in Lake Macquarie:

Medicines and tablets are classed as hazardous waste so can’t go in your bins at home.

Return any unwanted tablets to pharmacies.

The empty plastic packaging and blister packs go in your garbage bin.

The empty glass or plastic bottles go in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

The cardboard boxes go in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

 

Metals can be disposed of by the following means:

You can recycle plastic and glass milk bottles in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Please remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your recycling bin.

You can donate or sell mirrors in good condition.

Broken mirrors should be placed in your garbage bin or taken to Awaba Waste Management Facility for disposal (fees apply).

Mirrors should not be placed in your yellow-lidded recycling bin or your bulky waste collection.

You can drop off mobile phones, batteries and accessories at the following locations:

Old mobile phones and accessories are recycled through the Mobile Muster program.

Household cordless phones and accessories to be disposed of via e-waste or bulk waste collection

Disposable nappies and sanitary products cannot be recycled or composted, please put them in your garbage bin.

Please do not put nappies and sanitary products in your recycling or green waste bin (even if they are labelled compostable).

There are a number of reusable options available for both sanitary products and cloth nappies.

You can dispose of sharps waste, including needles, syringes, lancets and other injection equipment, at a number of chemists and pharmacies 

Do not dispose of sharps in any of your household bins.

You can dispose of sharps waste, including needles, syringes, lancets and other injection equipment, at a number of chemists and pharmacies in Lake Macquarie as below:

240L outdoor sharps bin, car park access road, Belmont Hospital, 16 Croudace Bay Road, BELMONT (Hospital Reception)

Caves Beach Pharmacy, Shop 9, 64 Caves Beach Road, CAVES BEACH NSW 2281 

Charlestown Pharmacy, 4/316 Charlestown Road, CHARLESTOWN NSW 2290 

Priceline Pharmacy Morisset, 9-11/35 Yambo Street, MORISSET NSW 2264 

Swansea Discount Drug Store, 148 Pacific Highway, SWANSEA NSW 2281

Guardian Pharmacy Warners Bay, Shop 13, 30 John Street, WARNERS BAY NSW 2282 

Terry White Chemmart Cardiff, 2/50 Harrison St, Cardiff NSW 2285

24-hour drop-off facilities are located at:

Sharps waste should never be disposed of in your household garbage or recycling bin or flushed down toilets or drains.

Sharps containers

You can purchase 1.4L or 3.1L medical sharps containers from selected pharmacies and our Customer Service Centre. For more information about this service, call us on 4921 0333 or email [email protected].

Reporting discarded sharps waste

You can report needles found in public places to the NSW Health Needle Clean-up Hotline on 1800 633 353.

All newspapers can be recycled in yellow-lidded recycling bin.

This includes:

  • Magazines and catalogues
  • Books
  • Envelopes and mail
  • Junk mail

Please remove any plastic wrapping and elastic first.

Ovens in good working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

Ovens can also be placed out as part of your next bulky waste collection or book a free collection through Matthews Metal Management.

Often, shops will collect your unwanted electrical or gas appliances when they deliver your new one (please note that some retailers may charge to collect electrical items).

Do not put electrical items in your bins at home.

Most types of paper can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin. This includes:

  • Paper
  • Shredded paper (must be contained within a cardboard box or large paper envelope)
  • Magazines and catalogues
  • Newspapers
  • Books
  • Envelopes and mail
  • Junk mail
  • Greetings cards and wrapping paper

Used paper towel can go in your green waste bin. Do not put it in the recycling bin.

Put the cardboard tube from kitchen and toilet rolls in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Pet bedding such as straw or shavings can go in the green waste bin.

Pet bedding such as pillows and beds can either be donated to dog shelters such as Dog Rescue Newcastle or Council animal holding facilities. Otherwise, it must go in the garbage bin.

All cat waste and all cat litter must go in the garbage bin.

Dog poo can be placed in the green waste bin either loose or in compostable bags or in the garbage bin.

Other animal waste such as guinea pigs, chickens etc can go in the green waste bin.

Pet charities and animal shelters such as the RSPCA or Council Works Depot animal holding facility may accept pillow donations.

Or put in the garbage bin or as part of your next bulky waste collection.

Empty, clean pizza boxes can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin, but if overly stained or greasy dispose of in the garbage bin.

Just make sure there is no leftover pizza still in the box.

Tip: If the bottom of the box is greasy but the top is ok, you can rip the top off and recycle it then throw the greasy bottom in your red lidded garbage bin.

 

Take clear/coloured soft plastics to the Community Recycling Centre.

Foil/metallised plastics are not accepted as these require separate processing than clear/coloured soft plastics.

In partnership with Plasmar, Council is now accepting soft plastics for recycling.

A drop-off point at the Awaba Community Recycling Centre (CRC) is available for Lake Macquarie residents to recycle household quantities of soft plastics.  

The collected plastics will be manufactured by Plasmar into environmentally friendly timber alternatives, such as sleepers and posts. These products will be bought back by Council to be used across the city and contribute to the circular economy.

To learn more about what else you can recycle at the CRC, visit Community Recycling Centre.

Accepted items

29879 Waste Infographic banner and story size2.jpg

All items must be empty and dry. Household quantities only.

Most non-foil plastics are accepted, including:

  • Biscuit outer wrappers
  • Bread bags (without the tie)
  • Bubble wrap (cut into A3 size pieces if large)
  • Cereal box liners
  • Cling film (GLAD, Coles home brand and Woolworths Essentials Home only)
  • Confectionery packets and bags (non-foil based)
  • Courier satchels (all plastic)
  • Chocolate and muesli bar wrappers (non-foil based)
  • Fresh produce bags
  • Frozen food bags
  • Netting bags (citrus, onions, avocados, with clips removed)
  • Newspaper and magazine wrap
  • Pasta bags
  • Plastic and woven food bags (cut into A3 size pieces if large)
  • Plastic wrapping from grocery items (such as nappies and toilet paper)
  • Reusable shopping/grocery bags
  • Plastic and woven rice bags (cut into A3 size pieces if large)
  • Rice, pasta, noodles and other packaging
  • Shopping bags from retailers
  • Snap lock bags 
  • Squeeze pouches with lid on (such as yogurt and baby food)

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I put soft plastics in kerbside recycling bins?

Soft plastic packaging is not an identified waste type in Council’s current recycling contract with Solo Resource Recovery.

Why is Council adding this service to the CRC?

The CRC is a central drop off location for Lake Mac residents. It is an established site with a range of recycling options, and existing collection and transportation facilities.

The recycling program with Plasmar also includes diverting hard plastics from landfill at Awaba Community Recycling Centre. Household items such as buckets, children's toys and storage containers will be given a new life and recycled by Plasmar, and manufactured into new items to be used around Lake Mac, such as posts and benches.

How are the plastics recycled?

Plasmar pelletises this waste and recycles it into practical products like wheel stops, posts and bollards.

These products will be given a new lease on life across the city, with Council buying back these products to be used across the city.

What soft plastics aren't accepted?

  • Foil lined, silver plastic packaging such as chip packets and coffee bags
  • PVC such as pool covers and toys, bed linen packaging and A4 sheet protectors
  • Hard plastics such as biscuit packet trays, fresh produce trays, plastic bottles, plastic containers and cartons
  • Gloves and masks
  • Polystyrene
  • Plastic A4 sheet protectors
  • Large bags or sheets of plastic, greater than A3 size.
  • Compostable, biodegradable or degradable plastics
  • Remove any metals such as clips and zips

 

Why are foil soft plastics not accepted?

Foil composite plastics are not being accepted at this time. They cannot be mixed with other single-polymer soft plastics because they have different thermal properties that require separate handling in the remanufacturing process.

How much of this material will be stored on-site?

Collections of the stored soft plastics will take place every month initially. This may change if volumes increase significantly.

Why can’t we use the Curby system like the City of Newcastle?

Soft plastic packaging is not an identified waste type in Council’s current recycling contract with Solo Resource Recovery. Only when new contract negotiations begin, can soft plastics be considered for collection in the yellow-lidded bin.

What happened to Redcycle?

Redcycle paused its operations in November 2022 due to an overwhelming amount of soft plastics being received in supermarkets and a lack of recycling market for the collected product.

Plasmar’s recycling model differs in that they are a manufacturer of plastic products, and only accepts recycled plastics from customers who agree to participate in their closed loop solution by purchasing recycled plastic products, such as park benches.

Council recently purchased five of these benches to use in their asset replacement program when replacing aged and broken park benches.

Supermarkets are investigating alternative options. 

Are there any other drop-off locations?

Council is working on a multi-staged approach to soft plastic recycling options in Lake Macquarie and investigating opportunities to expand on our offerings over time.

The Awaba CRC is currently the best available option for collecting soft plastics.

This is due to materials handling and storage requirements, and a need to closely supervise any drop off points to minimise contamination.

Council is planning to construct a new Community Recycling Centre at Floraville Road, Belmont which would also accept soft plastics along with other household problem wastes like batteries, gas bottles, paint, etc.

Visit Eastlakes Community Recycling Centre for more information.

It is likely that the Federal Government or the Packaging Industry will introduce an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for soft plastics packaging in the year ahead.

Such a scheme would mean that manufacturers, importers and sellers of packaged products would fund the recycling and buy back recycled polymer for inclusion in new packaging products.

Council would seek to align any future wider-reaching community soft plastics recovery services with the operational parameters this emerging EPR scheme.

 

 

Polystyrene can be taken to the Community Recycling Centre for recycling. It must be clean and free of glue or tape.

Polystyrene beads (from bean bags and packaging) are not accepted and must be securely disposed of in your garbage bin.

You can dispose of polystyrene, free of charge, at the Community Recycling Centre at the Awaba Waste Management Facility.

 

Polystyrene must be clean and white in colour, free of plastics, sticky tape, glue and other materials.

Polystyrene beads from bean bags are not accepted. Put these in a strong plastic bag, expel the air and seal. Place the bag in your red lidded garbage bin.

 

You can donate useable pots and pans to friends, family or charity shops.

They can also be sold online or given away for free on online platforms such as Freecycle.

Steel and aluminium pots and pans (no plastic handles), baking trays and dishes can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Reusable pottery and ceramics can be donated to family, friends or charity shops, or even taken to your workplace kitchen for reuse.

If the pottery is broken, it must be placed in the garbage bin.

 

You can return used cartridges to the shop you purchased them from such as Officeworks or Cartridge World or most can be refilled.

They can be also be taken to a Community Recycling Centre for recycling.

You can currently recycle used printer cartridges at the following Council library locations:

Due to ongoing contamination in the collection boxes, this service will be phased out by 1 March 2023.

You will still be able to take cartridges to:

Printer cartridges are recycled through the Cartridges 4 Plant Ark program.

Printers can be disposed of by the following means:

  • Community Recycling Centre*
  • Officeworks (W: officeworks.com.au)
  • Harvey Norman, Bennetts Green

Some charity shops and homeless shelters accept clean quilts and bedding.

You can also donate used bedding to some dog homes including Dog Rescue Newcastle or Council’s animal holding facility at the Works Depot, Boolaroo.

 

Dependent upon the waste, some construction materials can be taken to Concrush or AMS Recycling.

Awaba Waste Management Facility accepts construction materials (fees apply) or you can choose to hire a skip through a private contractor (fees apply).

Rubble and hardcore is classed as building waste and should not be placed in any of your kerbside bins. It is also not accepted as part of a bulky waste collection

 

 

 

Reusable carpets and rugs can either be sold online or given away for free on sites such as Freecycle.

If they are not reusable, they can be placed out with your next bulky waste collection (maximum length of 1.5 metres).

 

Sewing machines in good working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

You can also take sewing machines to a Community Recycling Centre and put them in the e-waste container.

Sewing machines can also be placed out as part of your next bulky waste collection in the e-waste pile.

Do not put electrical items in your bins at home.

 

You can dispose of sharps waste, including needles, syringes, lancets and other injection equipment, at a number of chemists and pharmacies. 

Do not dispose of sharps in any of your household bins.

You can dispose of sharps waste, including needles, syringes, lancets and other injection equipment, at a number of chemists and pharmacies in Lake Macquarie as below:

240L outdoor sharps bin, car park access road, Belmont Hospital, 16 Croudace Bay Road, BELMONT (Hospital Reception)

Caves Beach Pharmacy, Shop 9, 64 Caves Beach Road, CAVES BEACH NSW 2281 

Charlestown Pharmacy, 4/316 Charlestown Road, CHARLESTOWN NSW 2290 

Priceline Pharmacy Morisset, 9-11/35 Yambo Street, MORISSET NSW 2264 

Swansea Discount Drug Store, 148 Pacific Highway, SWANSEA NSW 2281

Guardian Pharmacy Warners Bay, Shop 13, 30 John Street, WARNERS BAY NSW 2282 

Terry White Chemmart Cardiff, 2/50 Harrison St, Cardiff NSW 2285

24-hour drop-off facilities are located at:

Sharps waste should never be disposed of in your household garbage or recycling bin or flushed down toilets or drains.

Sharps containers

You can purchase 1.4L or 3.1L medical sharps containers from selected pharmacies and our Customer Service Centre. For more information about this service, call us on 4921 0333 or email [email protected].

Reporting discarded sharps waste

You can report needles found in public places to the NSW Health Needle Clean-up Hotline on 1800 633 353.

If shoes are in good reuseable condition they can be sold, donated to charity shops, or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

Sports shoes including joggers, football boots, golf shoes and thongs can be recycled through some sporting shops using the Tread Lightly recycling program.

 

Most types of paper can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin. 

Shredded paper (must be contained within a cardboard box or large paper envelope) in the bin.

You can dispose of smoke detectors at the Community Recycling Centre, a Chemical CleanOut, or a Community Recycling Station.

Do not dispose of these in any of your household bins. The contain batteries and small amounts of radiation.

You can recycle smoke detectors at the following locations:

You can donate useable sofas directly to a furniture reuse organisation or charity. Some offer a free collection service.

Or sell online or give away for free on platforms such as  Freecycle.

Only unusable furniture should be placed out for a bulky waste collection.

In partnership with Plasmar, Council is now accepting soft plastics for recycling.

A drop-off point at the Awaba Community Recycling Centre (CRC) is available for Lake Macquarie residents to recycle household quantities of soft plastics.  

The collected plastics will be manufactured by Plasmar into environmentally friendly timber alternatives, such as sleepers and posts. These products will be bought back by Council to be used across the city and contribute to the circular economy.

To learn more about what else you can recycle at the CRC, visit Community Recycling Centre.

Accepted items

29879 Waste Infographic banner and story size2.jpg

All items must be empty and dry. Household quantities only.

Most non-foil plastics are accepted, including:

  • Biscuit outer wrappers
  • Bread bags (without the tie)
  • Bubble wrap (cut into A3 size pieces if large)
  • Cereal box liners
  • Cling film (GLAD, Coles home brand and Woolworths Essentials Home only)
  • Confectionery packets and bags (non-foil based)
  • Courier satchels (all plastic)
  • Chocolate and muesli bar wrappers (non-foil based)
  • Fresh produce bags
  • Frozen food bags
  • Netting bags (citrus, onions, avocados, with clips removed)
  • Newspaper and magazine wrap
  • Pasta bags
  • Plastic and woven food bags (cut into A3 size pieces if large)
  • Plastic wrapping from grocery items (such as nappies and toilet paper)
  • Reusable shopping/grocery bags
  • Plastic and woven rice bags (cut into A3 size pieces if large)
  • Rice, pasta, noodles and other packaging
  • Shopping bags from retailers
  • Snap lock bags 
  • Squeeze pouches with lid on (such as yogurt and baby food)

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I put soft plastics in kerbside recycling bins?

Soft plastic packaging is not an identified waste type in Council’s current recycling contract with Solo Resource Recovery.

Why is Council adding this service to the CRC?

The CRC is a central drop off location for Lake Mac residents. It is an established site with a range of recycling options, and existing collection and transportation facilities.

The recycling program with Plasmar also includes diverting hard plastics from landfill at Awaba Community Recycling Centre. Household items such as buckets, children's toys and storage containers will be given a new life and recycled by Plasmar, and manufactured into new items to be used around Lake Mac, such as posts and benches.

How are the plastics recycled?

Plasmar pelletises this waste and recycles it into practical products like wheel stops, posts and bollards.

These products will be given a new lease on life across the city, with Council buying back these products to be used across the city.

What soft plastics aren't accepted?

  • Foil lined, silver plastic packaging such as chip packets and coffee bags
  • PVC such as pool covers and toys, bed linen packaging and A4 sheet protectors
  • Hard plastics such as biscuit packet trays, fresh produce trays, plastic bottles, plastic containers and cartons
  • Gloves and masks
  • Polystyrene
  • Plastic A4 sheet protectors
  • Large bags or sheets of plastic, greater than A3 size.
  • Compostable, biodegradable or degradable plastics
  • Remove any metals such as clips and zips

 

Why are foil soft plastics not accepted?

Foil composite plastics are not being accepted at this time. They cannot be mixed with other single-polymer soft plastics because they have different thermal properties that require separate handling in the remanufacturing process.

How much of this material will be stored on-site?

Collections of the stored soft plastics will take place every month initially. This may change if volumes increase significantly.

Why can’t we use the Curby system like the City of Newcastle?

Soft plastic packaging is not an identified waste type in Council’s current recycling contract with Solo Resource Recovery. Only when new contract negotiations begin, can soft plastics be considered for collection in the yellow-lidded bin.

What happened to Redcycle?

Redcycle paused its operations in November 2022 due to an overwhelming amount of soft plastics being received in supermarkets and a lack of recycling market for the collected product.

Plasmar’s recycling model differs in that they are a manufacturer of plastic products, and only accepts recycled plastics from customers who agree to participate in their closed loop solution by purchasing recycled plastic products, such as park benches.

Council recently purchased five of these benches to use in their asset replacement program when replacing aged and broken park benches.

Supermarkets are investigating alternative options. 

Are there any other drop-off locations?

Council is working on a multi-staged approach to soft plastic recycling options in Lake Macquarie and investigating opportunities to expand on our offerings over time.

The Awaba CRC is currently the best available option for collecting soft plastics.

This is due to materials handling and storage requirements, and a need to closely supervise any drop off points to minimise contamination.

Council is planning to construct a new Community Recycling Centre at Floraville Road, Belmont which would also accept soft plastics along with other household problem wastes like batteries, gas bottles, paint, etc.

Visit Eastlakes Community Recycling Centre for more information.

It is likely that the Federal Government or the Packaging Industry will introduce an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for soft plastics packaging in the year ahead.

Such a scheme would mean that manufacturers, importers and sellers of packaged products would fund the recycling and buy back recycled polymer for inclusion in new packaging products.

Council would seek to align any future wider-reaching community soft plastics recovery services with the operational parameters this emerging EPR scheme.

 

 

Soil can be given away or sold as fill if it is clean through online platforms such as Freecycle.

Soil can’t go in your green waste bin as it will affect the quality of the compost produced.

This is because soil is a mineral and may also contain other potentially toxic elements like heavy metals.

If shoes are in good reuseable condition they can be sold, donated to charity shops, or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

Sports shoes including joggers, football boots, golf shoes and thongs can be recycled through some sports using the Tread Lightly recycling program.

Plastic or compostable straws must be disposed of in the garbage bin.

Tip: Buy a reusable straw you can wash instead of single use straws.

 

Tablets in good working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

You can also take tablets to a Community Recycling Centre and put them in the e-waste container.

Tablets can also be placed out in the e-waste pile as part of your next bulky waste collection.

Free collections of e-waste can also be booked through Matthews Metal Management

Before you throw away your tech, it’s worth searching online for repair shops to see if it can be fixed.

Do not put electrical items in your bins at home.

 

Empty food and drink cartons can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Some cartons are accepted in Return and Earn facilities.

Textiles in good condition can be reused, sold, passed onto friends and relatives or taken to charity shops.

 

Small amounts of tiles can be placed in your garbage bin.

Tissues must go in the garbage bin.

 

Pet charities and animal shelters such as the RSPCA or Council Works Depot animal holding facility accept towels, bed linen and blanket donations.

Some charity shops and homeless shelters may also accept clean ones too.

You can donate toys and games in good condition to charity shops, family or friends.

Participating Big W stores take back toys as part of their Toys for Joy Program.

You can trade or sell computer and console games at some gaming stores.

Plastic toys can’t be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

 

All garden waste can be put in your green waste bin.

This includes:

  • Twigs and small branches
  • Flowers and plants
  • Leaves
  • Grass cuttings
  • Hedge clippings
  • Common garden weeds

Please do not put soil in your green waste bin.

 

These should not be placed in any of your bins as the batteries can cause fires in trucks and waste facilities.

Up to 10 vapes per person can be taken to Summerhill Waste Management Centre for recycling free of charge (from March 2024).

 

These cannot be recycled and should be placed in your garbage bin.

 

Washing machines in good working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

You can also take them to a Community Recycling Centre.

Washing machines and dryers an also be placed out as part of your next bulky waste collection or book a free collection through Matthews Metal Management.

Often, shops will collect your unwanted electrical appliances when they deliver your new one (please note that some retailers may charge to collect electrical items).

Common household weeds can be placed in your green waste bin.

Invasive weeds such as Lantana and Asparagus Fern should be placed in a black plastic bag and baked in the sun. Then wrap securely and place in the garbage bin.

 

Wet wipes, cotton wool, and makeup pads go in your garbage bin.

Please do not put these in the yellow-lidded or green waste bins or flush down the toilet even they are labelled compostable or flushable.

Whitegoods in good working condition can be sold, donated or given away for free using online platforms such as Freecycle.

Whitegoods can also be placed out as part of your next bulky waste collection or book a free collection through Matthews Metal Management.

Often, shops will collect your unwanted electrical or gas appliances when they deliver your new one (please note that some retailers may charge to collect electrical items).

Windows and window glass in good order can be sold or given away for free.

Small amounts of broken window glass can go in the garbage bin or can be disposed of at Awaba Waste Management Facility (fees apply).

Window glass is not the same as beverage and container glass and cannot be placed in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Glass wine bottles can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Remove lids and place separately in the bin.

Corks must go in the garbage bin or take them to The Makers Place at Teralba. They are used for craft purposes.  Alternatively offer them to preschools, schools or OOSH and childcare groups for use in arts and crafts activities.

 

Donate wool to charity shops, schools or community groups.

 

Yoghurt pots can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

Ensure they are empty and lid is removed and disposed of in the garbage bin if it is plastic.

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The following recycling services are free of charge:

Note

This is the information available to Lake Macquarie City Council as at January 2024. There may be additional providers.  Listed providers may without notice change contact details, services, materials accepted and operations. 

This information is provided as a guide only.  The listing of a service does not indicate any council endorsement of a particular recycling or waste disposal operator or service, nor vetting of quality of provider services.  It is the responsibility of each person and business to ensure all waste is managed appropriately and disposed of lawfully.

Please advise Lake Macquarie City Council (or 4921 0333) if you know of any corrections to the listings, or additional recycling options within the Hunter Region.