A to Z waste and recycling guide

About

Landfill is the last place you want to send waste.

Many waste items can be recycled and made into new products, saving valuable resources, energy and landfill space.
This guide lists a range of common household and garden items, and how you can recycle or safely dispose of them.
Fees may apply, so contact businesses directly to check before you drop anything off.

Item not listed here?

Find out where you can take other items at Planet Ark's Recycling Near You website or search the Sustainability Victoria website.

Request to be added to this guide

Does your business or community group offer a recycling service to Cardinia Shire residents? If so, thank you! Please contact our Waste and Resource Recovery team at mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au or 1300 787 624 to be added to this guide.

A

Acids	Detox Your Home collection Free disposal of household chemicals. Visit Sustainability Victoria for collection dates and locations.
Aerosols	Kerbside recycling bin
Agriculture chemicals	Detox Your Home collection Free disposal of household chemicals. Visit Sustainability Victoria for collection dates and locations. ChemClear Visit ChemClear website to register chemicals for disposal.
Aluminium cans	Kerbside recycling bin
Aluminium foil/trays	Kerbside recycling bin Note: Scrunch foil into golf ball size.
Asbestos	Visit Asbestos Victoria website for disposal locations and instructions.

B

Baking paper	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Balloons	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Batteries - car	Most car workshops, scrap metal dealers and service stations will accept used car batteries for recycling. Check with your car battery vendor when purchasing a new battery.
Batteries - household	Cardinia Shire free e-waste collection boxes Aldi stores Battery Zone Batteryworld stores Cleanaway Resource Recovery Centre Lysterfield Future Recycling Transfer Station
Berry punnets	Kerbside recycling bin
Biscuit trays	Kerbside recycling bin
Books	Sell or donate if in good condition. You can give away books on BookMooch Kerbside recycling bin Remove any plastic or laminated covers first.
Bottles (plastic, glass)	Kerbside recycling bin
Bricks and masonry	Materials accepted for a fee. See transfer stations
Bubble wrap	Take soft plastics to Coles or Woolworths. Visit REDcycle for more info.
Building and renovation materials	Materials accepted for a fee. See transfer stations

C

Cans (Steel, aluminium)	Kerbside recycling bin
Car battery	Many car battery suppliers accept batteries for recycling.
Car parts	Small car parts, except those listed below may be accepted in your hard waste collection. Book up to 2 free collections per year. Car springs, engines, gearboxes, differentials and other large car parts may be accepted at transfer stations for a fee. See transfer stations.
Cardboard	Kerbside recycling bin Some transfer stations also accept cardboard for free. Waxed cardboard goes in your kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Carpet	Hard waste collection Book up to 2 free collections per year.
CDs and DVDs	Cardinia Shire free e-waste collection boxes
Chemicals (Household chemicals, liquids and hazardous waste)	Detox Your Home collection Free disposal of household chemicals. Visit the Sustainability Victoria website for collection dates and locations.
Cigarette Lighter (empty)	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Clothing/textiles	Sell or donate if in good condition. If damaged, recycle at clothing retailers H&M and Zara – they both accept clothing in any condition for textile recycling. Some op shops will accept damaged clothing for rags, but always ask first. Local mechanics and painters may be able to use them for rags, too. You can also contact Upparel to book for a collection (for a fee)
Clothes hangers	Sell or donate if in good condition. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Coffee pods	Nespresso pods can be returned to Nespresso stores L'or, Moccona & illy can be recycled through Terracycle's free recycling program All other brands can be recycled through purchased Terracycle Zero waste boxes If not recycled through these programs, dispose of in your kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Computers and computer parts	Cardinia Shire free e-waste collection boxes Officeworks stores (up to 5 items can be dropped off) Local transfer stations.

D

DrumMuster drums	Drum Muster is held twice a year at the Council depot, 18 Purton Road, Pakenham. Visit Drum Muster for dates and additional locations.
Dishwasher/ Dryer	See ‘Whitegoods’ section
Doors (internal)	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year.
Drain cleaner	Detox Your Home collection Free disposal of household chemicals. Visit the Sustainability Victoria website for collection dates and locations.

E

E-waste (Electronic waste: any item with a plug, battery or cord at the end of its useful life)	Visit the e-waste page
Electrical cords / charging cables	Free e-waste collection boxes

F

Fertiliser	Detox Your Home collection Free disposal of household chemicals. Visit the Sustainability Victoria website for collection dates and locations.
Fire extinguishers	Detox Your Home collection Free disposal of household chemicals. Visit the Sustainability Victoria website for collection dates and locations.
Fluorescent lightglobes	See lightglobes
Foam underlay	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Materials accepted for fee. See transfer stations
Food pouches (yoghurt or baby food)	Take soft plastics to Coles or Woolworths. Visit REDcycle to find your nearest participating store. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Food waste	Compost bin or worm farm Rebates are available to residents. Check waste rebates and discounts for details. Kerbside green waste bin
Furniture	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year.

G

Garden/green waste	Kerbside green waste bin Compost bin or worm farm Rebates are available to residents. Check waste rebates and discounts for details. Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Green waste drop-off days
Gas bottles and cylinders	Exchange programs include Elgas’ SWAP’n’GO and Kleenheat’s Kwik-Gas. Check Recycling Near You for additional drop-off points.
Glass bottles and jars	Kerbside recycling bin
Glass (drinking)	Sell or donate if in good condition. If broken wrap and place in your kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Glasses (spectacles/sunglasses)	Check if your eye clinic will take old glasses back for recycling. Hewitt Eco-House, Koo Wee Rup Hospital also accept old glasses for recycling.
Glass windows, cups, mirrors, table tops	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Note: Glass and mirrors must be securely wrapped and labelled.
Gloves (disposable and damaged reusables)	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Green reusable bags	Take soft plastics to Coles or Woolworths. Visit REDcycle to find your nearest participating store.

H

Hair	Animal and human hair can go in your kerbside green waste bin
Hot water units	Hard waste collection Book up to 2 free collections per year.
Hose (garden hose)	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin

I

Ink cartridges	See ‘Printer cartridges’

J

Jars (glass or plastic)	Kerbside recycling bin

L

Laptops	Cardinia Shire free e-waste collection boxes Future Recycling Pakenham Officeworks
Light globes	Drop-off points (regular and compact fluorescent only): Hewitt Eco-House IKEA Springvale Broken light globes should be wrapped in newspaper and placed in your kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin

Laptops

Light globes

Drop-off points (regular and compact fluorescent only):

Broken light globes should be wrapped in newspaper and placed in your kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin

M

Magazines and catalogues	Kerbside recycling bin
Mask (disposable)	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Mattresses	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Some transfer stations may accept mattresses for a fee.
Meat trays	Foam (polystyrene) - Rubbish (landfill) bin Black plastic - Rubbish (landfill) bin Clear or white plastic - Recycling bin (remove the absorption pad and soft plastic wrapper and place in the rubbish (landfill) bin).
Medicines (old)	Dispose of old pharmaceuticals safely by returning them to your local pharmacy/chemist.
Mirrors	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Note: Glass and mirrors must be securely wrapped and labelled.
Mobile phones	Cardinia Shire free e-waste collection boxes Salvos stores Telstra stores Optus stores Officeworks stores Australia Post stores

N

Needles	See ‘Syringes’

O

Ovens / stoves	See ‘Whitegoods’
Oil (motor)	Drop off at Future Recycling Pakenham or your local transfer station for a fee. See transfer stations Supercheap Auto (Dandenong and Keysborough stores only) accept oil for recycling. Contact store for more information.
Oil (cooking oil and fat)	Small amounts absorbed in paper towel or newspaper can go in your Kerbside green waste bin

P

Paint	The Future Recycling Transfer Station in Pakenham accepts all paint products as part of the Paintback program.
Paint tins (empty)	Hard waste collection Book up to 2 free collections per year Note: Lids must be removed.
Paint tins (with liquid or dry paint)	The Future Recycling Transfer Station in Pakenham accepts all paint products as part of the Paintback program.
Paper	Kerbside recycling bin Shredded paper can't be recycled as the pieces are too small to collect. Put in your compost bin or kerbside green waste bin. Waxed paper goes in your kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Paper towel	Kerbside green waste bin or your compost bin if you have one.
Photographs	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Pill / blister packets	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Pizza boxes	Clean boxes or lids can go in your kerbside recycling bin Oily bases should go into your compost bin or your kerbside green waste bin
Plant pots	Return to your garden centre. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Plasterboard	Local transfer stations
Plastic (hard) such as containers and bottles	Kerbside recycling bin
Plastic (soft)	See ‘Soft plastics’
Plastic cutlery (single-use)	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Polystyrene	Visit the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group website for recycling locations. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Pots and pans (kitchen)	Sell or donate if in good condition. Recycle for free at Future Recycling Pakenham, or your local transfer station. Otherwise put in your weekly kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin.
Printer ink and toner cartridges	Cartridges 4 Planet Ark collection boxes are located in the Cardinia Shire Customer Service Centre and all Australia Post and Officeworks stores. Visit Cartridges 4 Planet Ark for more locations.

S

Scrap metal	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year.
Shoes	Sports shoes can be recycled through the Save Our Soles Initiative. Collection points include SportsPower Pakenham and Rebel Sport. Visit the Save Our Soles website for more locations. Work boots can be recycled through Totally Workwear. Visit the Totally Workwear website for store locations.
Silage wrap	Drouin Waste Recyclers
Smoke alarms	Cardinia Shire free e-waste collection boxes
Soft plastics	Take soft plastics to Coles or Woolworths. Visit REDcycle to find your nearest participating store. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Soil/ dirt	Future Recycling Pakenham - fees apply Suez Hampton Park - fees apply
Solar panels	Future Recycling Pakenham
Sporting goods	Sell or donate if in good condition. Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year.
Steel cans	Kerbside recycling bin
Syringes	Syringe disposal exchange service Please report any needles you find to customer service on 1300 787 624

T

Tablets, notebooks and palmtops	Free e-waste collection boxes Officeworks stores
Takeaway food containers	Foam (polystyrene) - Rubbish (landfill) bin Black plastic - Rubbish (landfill) bin Clear or white plastic - Recycling bin Cardboard - see 'Pizza box'
Televisions/ (TVs)	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Future Recycling Transfer Station Pakenham. (Free disposal of e-waste).
Timber	Hard waste collection
Tissues	Kerbside green waste bin or your home compost system Otherwise kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes	Emerald Community House (356-358 Belgrave-Gembrook Road) have a drop off station. Visit TerraCycle for more locations. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Toys (soft / plush and plastic)	Sell or donate if in good condition. Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin. Remove any batteries first - see E-waste.
Tyres	Car - Hard waste collection Other - Local transfer stations Tyre retailers and businesses may also accept unwanted tyres

W

Weeds	Kerbside green waste bin
Wet wipes	Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin
Whitegoods (washing machine, dryers, dishwasher, fridge, freezer)	Hard waste collection Book up to two free collections per year. Tip: When purchasing new whitegoods, ask the retailer if they offer recycling services for items you’re replacing.

Weeds

Kerbside green waste bin

Wet wipes

Kerbside rubbish (landfill) bin

Whitegoods (washing machine, dryers, dishwasher, fridge, freezer)

Hard waste collection

Book up to two free collections per year.

Tip: When purchasing new whitegoods, ask the retailer if they offer recycling services for items you’re replacing.

X

X-rays	Emerald Library Pakenham Library Koo Wee Rup Hospital reception Council’s Customer Service Centre, Officer

X-rays

Emerald Library

Pakenham Library

Koo Wee Rup Hospital reception

Council’s Customer Service Centre, Officer

About

Item not listed here?

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E

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H

I

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