A-Z disposal guide

Including, but not limited to: fridges, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, ovens, dryers, stoves etc.

Whitegoods and e-waste items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

E-waste includes, but is not limited to: TVs, kitchen appliances, gaming consoles, calculators, cameras, hair dryers/straighteners, hearing aids,  irons, computers,  DVD players, radios, speakers, lamps, shredders, compressors, powerboards / double adaptors / extension leads etc.

Electrical items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.

As these contain batteries, they are classified as e-waste.

e-waste items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

Drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

Make sure to remove the battery before recycling – see Batteries for disposal locations.

Household batteries

These CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

Batteries, especially lithium-ion and button batteries, can cause fires and harm the environment if disposed of in the waste or recycling bins.

These include batteries from electrical equipment, toys, laptops, power tools and hearing aids.

Drop off eligible household batteries for free. Collection points include

• Supermarkets – ALDI, Coles, Drakes, Foodland, IGA, Woolworths
• Hardware stores – Bunnings, Mitre 10, Tool Kit Depot, Total Tools
• Other - Battery World, Big W, Good Guys and select City of Onkaparinga offices and libraries.

Use the B-cycle website to find the closest drop-off point near you.

Commercial quantities

Businesses can order a recycling bucket for your office or worksite (fees may/may not apply under the national Battery Stewardship Scheme).

• Batteries 4 Planet Ark Recycling Buckets
• EcoCycle Recycling Buckets

Search online for other commercial collection services available.

Mobile phone batteries

These CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

Mobile phones, their batteries and accessories can be recycled for FREE.

• drop them off at a MobileMuster collection point
• drop them in a Woolworths / EcoBatt battery recycling bin
• post them in using a free recycling satchel from Australia Post
• download a free reply-paid label from the MobileMuster website
• check if your local school/charity is collecting old phones as a fundraiser.

Before you recycle, please delete all personal information from the phone and remove the SIM card.

Lithium-ion batteries

These CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

These include batteries contained in phones, tablets, power banks, computers, toys, appliances and tools, as well as mobility equipment such as electric bikes and scooters.

• If you can easily take out the lithium battery by hand, cover the terminals with non-conductive tape like clear sticky tape. You can then take these taped batteries to Household Battery drop-off points at Aldi, Bunnings, Coles, IGA, Foodland, and Woolworths.
• If the battery is difficult to remove or built into the product, don’t try to take it out. Instead, recycle the whole item as e-waste. Check your nearest e-waste drop-off location.
• E-bike and e-scooter batteries less than 5kg and energy storage batteries can be dropped off at select locations only. Use the B-cycle website to find the closest drop-off point near you.
• E-cigarettes and vapes also have lithium batteries and a heating part, which can easily catch fire in kerbside bins. These should be recycled as e-waste item. 

Lead acid batteries

These CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

These include batteries from cars, motorbikes & other vehicles, NBN and power/lighting backup systems.

All used sealed lead-acid batteries are classified as hazardous waste and must be recycled by a specialist battery recycler.

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.
  Most will pay a few dollars for lead-acid batteries

OR

• Supercheap Auto accept lead-acid car batteries for a free lead acid battery recycling service.
  Note – no lithium batteries accepted

Emergency & Exit Lighting batteries

These CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

Most systems in Australia    use Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) or  Sealed Lead Acid Batteries. All contain hazardous materials and must be recycled by a specialist battery recycler.

• Find your nearest ExitCycle drop off point for Exit Lighting batteries.

What to do if a battery catches fire

If a battery or device starts to smoke or catch fire, follow these steps:

• Get Everyone Out
  • Evacuate the area immediately. If it’s safe, close doors to slow the fire's spread, and make sure no one goes back inside.
    Battery smoke and fumes are very dangerous and shouldn’t be breathed in.
• Call Emergency Services
  • Dial Triple Zero (000) and wait in a safe place until Emergency Services arrive.
• Seek Medical Help if Exposed

If anyone has been exposed to spilled battery chemicals, smoke, or flames, get medical help right away.
For burns, rinse with cool running water for 20 minutes.

Burns larger than a 20-cent piece need emergency care, so call Triple Zero (000) and follow the operator’s advice.

E-waste includes, but is not limited to: TVs, kitchen appliances, gaming consoles, calculators, cameras, hair dryers/straighteners, hearing aids,  irons, computers,  DVD players, radios, speakers, lamps, shredders, compressors, powerboards / double adaptors / extension leads etc.

Electrical items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Power tools, both rechargeable and plug-in varieties, are classified as e-waste (electrical waste).

Electrical items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, donating, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling
• Contact a local power tool recycler:
• • Greenbank Recycling Depot, Reynella
  • Hackham Recycling, Hackham
  • Wastek, Lonsdale 

Cigarette butts, cigars, ash

 Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Vapes, e-cigarettes

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.
They require batteries so are classified as e-waste.

Single use vapes have embedded batteries that cannot be removed.

Most refillable vapes have an easily removable battery which can be recycled separately. Please remove the battery and recycle with other household batteries.

Drop-off single-use and re-usable vapes at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling.

Digital (stick)

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill. They require batteries so are classified as e-waste:

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling
• contact a scrap metal merchant.

Food / Meat (Bimetal)

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Food (pop-up)

Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Liquid crystal / strip / magnetic

These are colour-based thermometers and used for a variety of applications e.g. for medical, aquariums, homebrewing, etc.

Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Mercury

IMPORTANT - Mercury is a dense poisonous metal. Please handle this type of thermometer with great care.

Dispose of as hazardous waste. See the Mercury entry for disposal details.

Reverse cycle units or ducted evaporative units

If replacing your air conditioner, request that retailers or installers remove and dispose of the old machine. Some major retailers offer “take-back services” and removal of packaging, including polystyrene

OR

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Air conditioner pads

There are chemicals in the cooler pads that deem the cardboard not recyclable.

 Put in the red/waste to landfill bin.

OR

Contact a waste to landfill site.

Portable evaporative coolers

E-waste items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

Drain out water.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Ducting

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

OR

Contact a waste to landfill site.

Plastic

Oral care product recycling boxes are available at various Community collection points. View a map for your closest drop-off point.

e.g. toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and caps, toothbrush heads from electric toothbrushes, floss containers, toothpaste and toothbrush packaging. Please make sure all excess product has been removed.

NO electric toothbrushes or parts.

OR

 Put in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Bamboo

 Remove nylon bristles and put it in the green organics bin.

Electric

E-waste includes, but is not limited to: TVs, kitchen appliances, gaming consoles, calculators, cameras, hair dryers/straighteners, hearing aids,  irons, computers,  DVD players, radios, speakers, lamps, shredders, compressors, powerboards / double adaptors / extension leads etc.

Electrical items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Landline

E-waste includes, but is not limited to: TVs, kitchen appliances, gaming consoles, calculators, cameras, hair dryers/straighteners, hearing aids,  irons, computers,  DVD players, radios, speakers, lamps, shredders, compressors, powerboards / double adaptors / extension leads etc.

Electrical items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Mobiles

These CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.  

Mobile phones, batteries and accessories can be recycled for FREE.

• drop them off at a MobileMuster collection point
• drop them off at an EcoBatt battery recycling bin
• post them in using a free recycling satchel from Australia Post
• download a free reply paid label from the MobileMuster website
• check if your local school/charity is collecting old phones as a fundraiser.

OR

Drop them off at:

• any of our Customer Relations offices
• Aldinga, Hub, Seaford, Willunga or Woodcroft libraries
• Aberfoyle Community Centre
• Coromandel Community Centre
• Reynella Neighbourhood Centre
• Wakefield House Positive Ageing Centre.

Before you recycle, please delete all personal information from the phone and remove the SIM card.

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

For TVs, see e-waste.

If it's in good condition, consider giving it away or selling it.

OR

Drop them off at your nearest Officeworks as part of their e-waste recycling program.
Remember to delete any personal data from discs

OR

Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Whitegoods and e-waste items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Plastic/glass shelves and drawers – put in the red/waste to landfill bin.
Metal shelves – take to a scrap metal recycler.

Disposable

Gillette Razor product recycling boxes are available at various Community collection points. Find your closest drop-off point.

Any brand of disposable shavers, refillable blades and razors, and related packaging accepted.

OR

Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Electric 

Electrical items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill - see e-waste entry for disposal information.