A-Z: What goes where?

Yellow bin (can emptied)

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Community Recycling Centre

Unemptied cans: Household chemical and e-waste drop-off, Community Recycling Centre

Terracycle collection

Red bin

This includes cans, spray bottles, plug-in and refills.

Check Terracycle, some brands may have recycling programs for their products.

Yellow bin (Cans, containers, trays, clean foil)

Yellow bin (clean foil - collect and scrunch to tennis-ball size)

Red bin (dirty foil)

Red bin

Animal waste is not allowed in the green (FOGO) bin. Find out more

Batteries

Do not place batteries in any of your bins. They are hazardous and can cause fires.

Community Recycling Centre

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

B-cycle provides drop-off points for household batteries, this includes most major supermarkets. Find your nearest drop-off point

RecycleSmart collects batteries

For mobile phone batteries check MobileMuster

For more options visit Recycling Near You

Terracycle - Beauty product recycling

Marrickville Metro has partnered with Terracycle - drop off your beauty products at the Metro Recycling Wall

RecycleSmart collect empty cosmetic packaging

Revolve Recycling 

The Bower

Check Bicycle NSW

In line with EPA guidelines, we do not accept compostable packaging in our FOGO stream, even if the packaging has the seedling logo. This is to ensure the highest quality compost will go onto farmlands. 

Fibre-based food containers are generally made from sugarcane pulp (bagasse) and cannot be recycled in the yellow-lid bin. Even though the product looks similar to cardboard, it cannot be recycled with cardboard and paper.

Recycle medicinal blister packs with the Pharmacycle program.

Yellow bin

Not suitable to sell or donate? Pull off the cover and recycle the pages

Donate to charity, Op shop

The Bower

The Footpath Library

Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

Book a RecycleSmart collection

Yellow bin (glass, plastic or metal)

*Broken Bottles - wrap in newspaper and place in red bin

Drink containers can be recycled at a Return and Earn station

Branches should be cut to 1m in length and bundled. Maximum 1 metre in length and 15 centimetres in diameter.

Small branches and other garden organics can be placed in your green bin (FOGO). Any small branches or palm fronds, please make sure they are no more than 10cm in diameter and no more than 100cm long. The lid of the bin must be able to shut by collection day.

Hire a skip bin for construction waste

Check with: Business Recycling Website, The Bower, Reverse Garbage (concrete-free bricks only).

Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

Foil-lined - Red bin

Non-foil - Yellow bin

Includes juice, milk or any beverage/liquid cardboard carton (sometimes known as Tetra Pak)

Foil-lined cartons are typically brick shaped and contain products such as long-life milk

Non-foil lined cartons have gable tops and are usually found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket

Foil / non-foil lined containers are accepted by Return and Earn

Visit Recycling Near You to find out more about carton recycling

Donate to charity

Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

RecycleSmart collect digital and video cameras

Yellow bin

Hire a skip bin

Business Recycling website

The Bower, Reverse Garbage

REDcycle paused its soft plastics collection program in November 2022. The Soft Plastics Taskforce is committed to having the program back up and running in the future.

RecycleSmart collect soft plastics

Red bin

REDcycle paused its soft plastics collection program in November 2022. The Soft Plastics Taskforce is committed to having the program back up and running in the future.

RecycleSmart collect soft plastics

Watch this video about donating clothing and textiles ethically

Red bin

Donate wearable clothes to your local charity/op shop. Many clothing retailers have donation bins for clothes (e.g H&M, Zara)

Tear up unwearable clothing or textiles for cleaning rags or donate them to your local animal shelter or vet. Some retailers will accept unwearable textiles including H&M

RecycleSmart collects wearable and unwearable clothing. Please separate separate for collection.

Clothing Cleanup picks up wearable clothes if you aren't able to drop them off yourself

Other clothing and textile recyclers include:

Circular Centre

Upparel

Dress for Success

The Bower

Red bin

Council clean up service 

Metal (wire): Large amounts can be collected in a council clean up - metal and whitegoods

Wood, plastic, other: Large amounts can be collected in a council clean up - bulky household items

Undamaged hangers can be donated to your local laundromat or dry cleaner

Post on Gumtree, Facebook, Freecycle

Try using a reusable coffee cup instead!

Most takeaway coffee cups contain a plastic lining which contaminates the paper recycling stream so they cannot go in the yellow-lid bin. 

Some shopping centres, petrol stations and other retailers have partnered with Simply Cups - a coffee cup recycling program. 7/11 have a useful map of locations - please be mindful that each collection point cannot process large quantities. It's still better to use a reusable coffee cup.

RecycleSmart collect single use coffee cups - Cups and lids need to be stacked separately for collection

Coffee cup lids - these are too light to be processed in the recycling facility, they fly off the machinery and can be blown into the wrong material stream.

Compostable coffee cups - we do not accept compostable coffee cups in our FOGO stream, even if the seedling logo is present. This is to ensure the highest quality compost will go onto farmlands. Compostable coffee cups can be recycled through Simply Cups. Some compostable coffee cups are home compostable. 

Most brands (e.g Nespresso, Nescafe) may allow used capsule/pod drop-offs in store, or partner with Terracycle. Contact the brand or check Terracycle for updates

RecycleSmart collect aluminium coffee capsules

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Only use Council-provided or AS4736 compostable liners (look for the seedling logo).

Green lid bins and burgundy lid bins will now be emptied into the same truck.

Some biodegradable/compostable plastics break down in home composts. Check with the manufacturer.

Compostable plastics are not allowed in the green (FOGO) bin. Find out more.

Hire a skip bin for construction waste

Visit the Business Recycling website

Some brands may partner with Terracycle

Specsavers - How to recycle contact lenses

RecycleSmart collect single-use contact lens cases

The Bower, Reverse Garbage

Red bin

Council clean up service - bulky household items

Donate to charity/op shop

Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

If broken, wrap in newspaper and place in the garbage bin

Large amounts can be booked in for council clean up service - bulky household items

Red bin

BYO reusable cutlery to events or places that may not provide cutlery

Plastic single-use cutlery is now banned in NSW and cannot be recycled

Bamboo/wooden compostable cutlery cannot go in the green FOGO bin and cannot be recycled

Donate metal cutlery to charity/op shops

Consider making your own

Keep the container and only buy refills

Terracycle - Dish and Air Care Recycling Program

Plastic - Red bin

Cardboard - Yellow bin

Fibre-based - Red bin

Clean - remove food scraps 

Disposable plastics plates are now banned in NSW

Dog poo is not allowed in the FOGO bin. Find out more.

The Bower, Reverse Garbage

Post on Gumtree, Facebook, Freecycle

Visit the Business Recycling website

Broken glasses must be wrapped

The quality of glass is different to glass drinking bottles and can't be recycled - it contaminates the glass bottle recycling

Still working? Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

Compost bin or worm farm

Red bin

Compost Bin

Yellow bin

Donate to charity or The Bower

RecycleSmart collect small electrical appliances

For more options visit Recycling Near You

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Community Recycling Centre

Including computers, laptops, TVs, speakers, mouse, keyboard, telephones, headphones, earphones and other accessories

Donate to The Reconnect Project

For mobile phone recycling visit MobileMuster

RecycleSmart collect small e-waste items

Arnies Recon provides free pick up and recycling of electronics and appliances to homes and businesses in the Sydney Metro area

Officeworks provides e-waste recycling

E-waste recycling is funded by the industry and regulated by the Commonwealth government under the Product Stewardship Act 2011 to ensure the safe recycling of hazardous e-waste

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Community Recycling Centre

Yellow bin (no padded plastic)

Includes envelopes with a plastic window face

Padded paper envelopes (no plastic) go in the Yellow recycling bin

Padded envelopes lined with bubble wrap can be reused or put in the Red garbage bin 

For more options visit Recycling Near You

Donate to your local optometrist

See 'clothing and textiles' on this list

Reverse Garbage

Large amounts: The Sewing Basket by Achieve Australia

RecycleSmart collect textiles

Contact The Bower

EPA website: Facilities that accept household asbestos

Visit the Recycling Near You webpage to find a disposal service.

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Community Recycling Centre

Contact The Bower or Reverse Garbage

Post on Gumtree, Facebook, Freecycle

Visit the Business Recycling Website

Try to avoid it in the first place. If it comes as packaging, ask the retailer to recycle it for you. Drop-off facilities are rare in the local area. 

RecycleSmart collect white polystyrene.

Visit the Recycling Near You website

Food scraps

Includes:

• Meat, chicken, seafood (except oyster shells) and small bones (cooked and uncooked meats)
• Dairy products (cheese, yoghurt etc.)
• Bread, pasta, rice, cereal
• Coffee grounds
• Eggs and eggshells
• Out of date food (processed or fresh)
• Expired takeaway

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm

Remove packaging first.

Only use Council-provided or AS4736 compostable liners (look for the seedling logo).

Green and burgundy bins will now be emptied into the same truck.

Aluminium, steel and tin

Lightly wash your cans and tins before putting in the recycling bin

Includes petrol, firestarters, methylated spirits

Red bin

Try to avoid in the first place. The resale of second-hand or vintage fur products can contribute to consumer demand for fur products by perpetuating the idea ‘fur as fashion’

Donate to wildlife rescue group or to charity/op shop

Freecycle

Donate to charity/op shop

IKEA furniture buy-back service

Visit the Recycling Near You website for scrap metal dealers

Commercial waste facility

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm

Don't overfill your green FOGO bin - for excess branches, use the Council clean-up service.

Green lid and burgundy lid bins will now be emptied into the same truck.

Usable items can be donated to the Inner West Tool Library, posted on Freecycle, or donated to charity.

Inner West Tool Library or posted on Freecycle

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Community Recycling Centre

Return and Earn recycling station

Metal lid can stay screwed on jar

Consider reusing as a food storage container

Reverse Garbage

Donate to a local food co-op

Yellow bin

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm (only place dried grass clippings in worm farms)

If still working donate to charity, or post on Gumtree, Facebook, Freecycle

Gas: Council clean-up service - metals and whitegoods

Electric: Household chemical and e-waste drop-off or Council clean-up service - metals and whitegoods

Oil: Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

RecycleSmart collect small electric heaters

Red bin

Council clean up service - bulky household items

Small amount of hose, or chop the hose into smaller pieces: red garbage bin

Large amount of hose/hose reel: Council clean up service - bulky household items

Try reusing your old hose creatively

Council clean-up service

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Donate to The Bower or post on Freecycle

RecycleSmart collect small electric appliances

Contact a commercial waste facility

Visit the Business Recycling website

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Donate to charity

RecycleSmart collect laptops

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm (only place dried grass clippings in worm farms)

Keep some lawn clippings aside to layer the FOGO bin with. Covering food scraps with garden organics will assist in minimising odours and pests.

Green lid and burgundy lid bins will now be emptied into the same truck.

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off or Community Recycling Centre

Red bin

RecycleSmart collect fluorescent light tubes

Yellow bin

REDcycle paused its soft plastics collection program in November 2022. The Soft Plastics Taskforce is committed to having the program back up and running in the future.

RecycleSmart collect soft plastics

Take to your nearest chemist/pharmacy

Return of Expired Medicines (RUM) program

Council clean-up service - metals and whitegoods

Donate to charity/op shop

Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

Council clean-up service - metal and whitegoods

Donate to charity/op shop

Post on Facebook, Gumtree, Freecycle

Council clean up service

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Council clean-up service

Donate to charity, Freecycle

Community Recycling Centre

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Visit the MobileMuster website

RecycleSmart collect mobile phones and batteries

Donate to The Reconnect Project

Officeworks provides mobile phone recycling

Refer to the Recycling Near You website for more options

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Community Recycling Centre

Place them in a sharps container or a puncture resistant container (not glass) and dispose of them at a Community Sharps Collection participating pharmacy. Or search for your suburb on the Safe Sharps website

Home compost bin

Yellow bin

Donate to animal shelter like Sydney Dogs and Cats home

Newspaper is not accepted in the FOGO bin

Avoid it in the first place.
If it comes as packaging, ask the retailer to recycle it for you.

Red bin

RecycleSmart collects white polystrene

Home compost bin

Red bin

Advertise on a local buy/sell/swap forum e.g. Facebook Marketplace or ‘Street Bounty’

RecycleSmart collect sealed paint tins (maximum 2L)

Council clean up or Community Recycling Centre

Red bin

Yellow bin

Donate to charity

Red bin

Discard cover, pull out fill and reuse

Red bin

Council clean-up service - bulky household items

Plastic plant pots can be taken to Bunnings to be recycled into new pots

Small indoor pots/flower pots: Marrickville Community Nursery, see Pinterest for inspiration on the creative reuse of plant pots 

Large amounts of terracotta or ceramics is considered building material and may be required to be taken to a commercial waste facility - check Business Recycling Website 

Avoid if possible

Red bin

Coles, Woolworths and ALDI have formed a Soft Plastics Taskforce to explore soft plastics recycling solutions, following a conditional ACCC interim authorisation. Find out more.

Yellow bin

Recycling tip: Keep lids on and bottles empty - no liquids or smaller plastic pieces inside.

Drink containers can be recycled at a Return and Earn recycling station.

Clear - Yellow bin

White - Red bin

Avoid if possible

Red bin 

Donate to charity

RecycleSmart collect plastic toys in sellable condition

Donate to charity, Freecycle

Avoid if possible

Red bin 

Red bin

Donate to charity, Freecycle

Red bin

Check the Recycling Near You website

Try to avoid it in the first place. If it comes as packaging, ask the retailer to recycle it for you.

RecycleSmart collect white polystyrene. It does not need to be broken down for collection.

Officeworks and JB Hi-Fi stores, Australia Post, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith, The Good Guys, Office National and Office Products Depot outlets.

RecycleSmart collect printer cartridges

Check if the measurements are eligible for the Council clean-up service (2 metres x 1 metre x 1 metre)

For metal or stainless steel: Council clean-up - Metal and whitegoods

For plastic: Council clean-up - bulky household items and furniture

Household chemical and e-waste drop off

Gillette has partnered with Terracycle to create a razor and blades recycling program - Click here for more information

Donate to local radio station, a second hand shop or post on Freecycle

Council clean up service - Metal and whitegoods

RecycleSmart

Check the Recycling Near You website

Contact The Bower, Reverse Garbage or a commercial waste facility for disposal. Visit the Business Recycling Website for more ideas.

Place them in a sharps container or a puncture resistant container (not glass) and dispose of them at a Community Sharps Collection participating pharmacy. Or search for your suburb on the Safe Sharps website.

• Coles, Kmart, Target, Bunnings, Officeworks, Bi Lo:Report online
• Woolworths, Dan Murphy, Big W, Target, IGA: Report online
• Aldi: Phone 132 534.

Reverse Garbage

Red bin

TreadLightly recycle sport and active lifestyle footwear.

RecycleSmart collect shoes in reusable condition. They also collect sport shoes, thongs, slides, football boots and golf shoes in unwearable condition.

Donate to charity

Avoid if possible

Red bin

Coles, Woolworths and ALDI have formed a Soft Plastics Taskforce to explore soft plastics recycling solutions, following a conditional ACCC interim authorisation. Find out more.

RecycleSmart has resumed collecting soft plastics - however, there may be delays due to demand.

Freecycle

Red bin

Try to avoid it in the first place. If it comes as packaging, ask the retailer to recycle it for you.

Check the Recycling Near You website

RecycleSmart collect white polystyrene for recycling.

Plastic - Yellow bin

Fibre-based compostable - Red bin

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm

Paper tea bags can be placed in the burgundy lid or green lid bins.

Synthetic tea bags (containing plastics) cannot be placed in the burgundy lid or green lid bins.

To find out if yours are okay, try tearing the tea bag open after use. If it tears open easily, it can go in the burgundy lid or green lid bins. If there is some resistance, it is likely synthetic and should therefore go in the red bin.

Green lid and burgundy lid bins will now be emptied into the same truck.

Council clean up service

Wastewood

Among The Trees

Freecycle

Visit the Business Recycling Website

Donate to charity

The Bower

Freecycle

Officeworks and JB Hi-Fi stores, Australia Post, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith, The Good Guys, Office National and Office Products Depot outlets.

Inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges and toner bottles from most brands are accepted. This includes cartridges used in printers, photocopiers and fax machines.

RecycleSmart collect toner cartridges

Usable tools can be donated to the Inner West Tool Library, charity or posted on Freecycle

Red bin

Reuse it as a grout scrubber.

Terracycle collection (check website for locations)

• Coles, Kmart, Target, Bunnings, Officeworks, Bi Lo: Report online
• Woolworths, Dan Murphy, Big W, Target, IGA: Report online
• Aldi: Phone 132 534. 

Red bin

Home compost bin

Household chemicals and e-waste drop off

Council clean up service

Reusable vaping products (including cartridges, replacement pods and nicotine) are now accepted under the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) program. Ask your local pharmacy for more information.

Reusable vape batteries can be dropped off at a Community Recycling Centre or B-cycle

Single use vapes are not accepted at any of the above. The EPA and RUM program hope to provide safe alternatives soon.

Green bin (FOGO)

Burgundy bin (in eligible apartment blocks)

Compost bin or worm farm 

Remove packaging first.

Only use Council-provided or AS4736 compostable liners (look for the seedling logo).

Household chemical and e-waste drop-off

Red bin

Visit the Business Recycling website for drop-off locations

TAD Australia

eBility

Check with your radiologist as many medical imaging businesses collect X-rays.

RecycleSmart collect x-ray films

Search on Recycling Near You for other options in your area.