5 quick tips on how to recycle properly
Scroll down to learn how to recycle items in the following categories:
- Glass
- Metals
- Plastics
- Cardboard and paper
- E-Waste and batteries
- Other materials
Remember to use the Waste Hierarchy principles as a guide:
Empty glass beverage, medicine and vitamin bottles can be placed in the recycling bin.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Metal lids can go in the recycling, but remove from jar first.
Place drinking glasses in the garbage bin.
Empty glass food and cosmetic jars can be placed in the recycling bin.
Metal lids can go in the recycling bin, but remove from jar first.
Pyrex and windscreens cannot be recycled. Place them in the garbage bin.
Empty aerosol cans can be placed in the recycling bin. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or the recycling bin if larger than a credit card.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Put metal lids and bottle tops in the recycling bin. Remove from jars and bottles first.
Empty steel cans can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty aluminum aerosol cans can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty aluminum food and drink cans can be placed in the recycling bin.
Aluminium foil can be put into the recycling. However, to ensure it gets captured at the Material Recovery Facility, wait until you have enough clean aluminium foil to reach at least 2 inches in size (roughly the size of a tennis ball) then deposit it into your recycling bin.
Clean aluminium trays can be put into the recycling bin.
Put aluminum lids and bottle tops in the recycling bin. Remove from jars and bottles first.
Plastic fruit punnets can be placed in the recycling bin.
Plastic biscuit trays can be placed in the recycling bin.
Black rigid plastics including plant pots and meat trays cannot be recycled.
Place black rigid plastic in the garbage bin.
Black plastic cannot be detected on black conveyor belts at the sorting facility.
Plastic cake trays can be placed in the recycling bin
Plastic clear meat trays can be placed in the recycling bin.
Place black meat trays in the garbage. Black plastic cannot be detected on black conveyor belts at the sorting facility.
Empty plastic cooking oil containers can be placed in the recycling bin with lids removed.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Plastic deodorant roll-ons can be placed in the recycling bin.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Empty plastic detergent bottles can be placed in the recycling bin with lids removed.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Plastic food trays can be placed in the recycling bin. Black plastic and polystyrene food trays go in the garbage bin.
Empty plastic hair product containers can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty plastic ice cream containers can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty plastic laundry detergent bottles can be placed in the recycling bin with lids removed.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Plastic lunch boxes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty plastic margarine and butter containers can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty plastic milk containers can be placed in the recycling bin with lids removed. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Cardboard milk cartons are lined with plastic and cannot be recycled at the Material Recovery Facility that processes Golden Plains Shire recycling.
Plastic bottles and containers numbered 3,4, 6 or 7 cannot be recycled. Place in the garbage bin.
Plastic bottles and containers without a number cannot be recycled in the kerbside recycling bin. Place in the garbage bin.
Plastic cutlery cannot be recycled. Place in the garbage bin.
Plastic lids and caps smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Lids4Kids – Western Victoria has collection points for plastic lids across the region including community centres, charity shops and businesses. Check out the Lids4 Kids – Western Victoria website for details and locations of collection points.
Plastic plant pots can be placed in the recycling bins.
Black plastic plant pots need to be placed in the garbage bin. Black plastic cannot be detected on black conveyor belts at the sorting facility.
Polystyrene cannot be recycled in the kerbside recycling collection. Place in the garbage bin.
Plastic reusable containers can be placed in the recycling bin.
Recyclables with liquid or food still inside the container cannot be recycled. Scrape the containers clean before placing in the recycling bin.
Empty plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles can be placed in the recycling bin.
Soft plastics including bags and films found on containers cannot be recycled in the kerbside recycling collection.
Soft plastics are not accepted in kerbside yellow-top recycling bins as they jam the automated sorting machines that process recycling.
Empty plastic takeaway containers can be placed in the recycling bin.
Plastic Tupperware can be placed in the recycling bin.
Plastic vegetable punnets can be placed in the recycling bin.
Plastic vitamin and medicine bottles can be placed in the recycling bin with lids removed.
Plastic lids and caps smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Plastic water bottles can be placed in the recycling bin with lids removed.
Plastic lids and caps smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card. Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are likely to fall through the cracks or end up with the wrong type of recycling at the Material Recovery Facility.
Empty plastic yoghurt containers and aluminium foil covers can be placed in the recycling bin.
To ensure the aluminium foil is captured at the Material Recovery Facility, wait until you have enough clean aluminium foil to reach at least 2 inches in size (roughly the size of a tennis ball) then deposit it into your recycling bin. Plastic lids and caps smaller than a credit card go in the garbage bin or in the recycling bin if larger than a credit card.
Advertising material can be placed in the recycling bin.
Books can be placed in the recycling bin.
Coffee cups, black plastic lids or lids with the number 6 or 7 go in the garbage bin. Only plastic lids with the number 1, 2 or 5 can go in the recycling bin.
Coffee cups are lined with plastic and cannot be recycled at the Material Recovery Facility that processes Golden Plains Shire recycling. Black plastic cannot be detected on black conveyor belts at the sorting facility.
Place deli and butchers paper in the garbage bin.
Juice, milk and stock cartons go in the garbage bin.
Juice, milk and stock cartons are lined with plastic and cannot be recycled at the Material Recovery Facility that processes Golden Plains Shire recycling.
Magazines can be placed in the recycling bin.
Newspapers can be placed in the recycling bin.
Envelopes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Gift wrapping paper can be placed in the recycling bin.
Office paper can be placed in the recycling bin.
Phone books can be placed in the recycling bin.
Brown cardboard can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty laundry powder boxes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty cardboard biscuit boxes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty cardboard cereal boxes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty cardboard boxes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Empty cardboard egg cartons can be placed in the recycling bin.
Greeting cards can be placed in the recycling bin.
Paper bags can be placed in the recycling bin.
Paper plates can be placed in the recycling bin.
Paper towel rolls can be placed in the recycling bin.
Toilet paper rolls can be placed in the recycling bin.
Separate the bottom from the top. Place the top of the pizza box in the recycling bin and the greasy bottom in the garbage bin.
Tissue boxes can be placed in the recycling bin.
Soiled cardboard from grease or food items, including greasy pizza boxes and paper plates cannot be recycled. Place in the garbage bin.
If the top of the pizza box is not greasy, tear it off and place the top of the pizza box in the recycling bin.
Tetra Paks cannot be recycled and need to go in the garbage bin.
Tetra paks are lined with plastic and cannot be recycled at the Material Recovery Facility that processes Golden Plains Shire recycling.
Waxed boxes and cardboard cannot be recycled and need to go in the garbage bin.
Household batteries are classified as e-waste and cannot be placed in any kerbside bin. Household batteries can be recycled by dropping them into collection bins at the following locations:
Golden Plains Civic Centre - 2 Pope Street, Bannockburn
Rokewood Resource Recovery Centre - 141 Meadows Road, Rokewood
The Well - 19 Heales Street, Smythesdale
Ballarat Transfer Station - 119 Gillies Street South, Alfredton
Geelong Transfer Station - 100 Douro Street, North Geelong
Aldi supermarkets offer a free battery recycling service at all their Australian stores. Any brand of AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries (both rechargeable and non-rechargeable) are accepted.
Office Works stores offer a free battery recycling service. AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries (both rechargeable and non-rechargeable), as well as laptop and mobile phones batteries are accepted.
Car batteries cannot be placed in any kerbside bin. You can take car batteries to:
Rokewood Resource Recovery Centre - 141 Meadows Road, Rokewood
Ballarat Transfer Station - 119 Gillies Street South, Alfredton
Geelong Transfer Station - 100 Douro Street, North Geelong
E-waste cannot be placed in any kerbside bin. Small e-waste items can be dropped off for free at Council’s Bannockburn and Smythesdale Customer Service Centre. Larger items can be taken to the following locations:
Rokewood Resource Recovery Centre - 141 Meadows Road, Rokewood
Ballarat Transfer Station - 119 Gillies Street South, Alfredton
Geelong Transfer Station - 100 Douro Street, North Geelong
Bagged recyclables cause contamination and will result in your recyclables being sent to landfill. Keep your recyclable material loose in your recycling bin.
Soft plastics are not accepted in kerbside yellow-top recycling bins as they jam the automated sorting machines that process recycling.
Bagged garbage is considered contamination in your recycling bin. Place bagged garbage in the garbage bin.
Place only recyclable items in your recycling bin.
Ceramics cannot be recycled. Place ceramics in the garbage bin.
Florescent globes cannot be recycled through kerbside recycling bins. Florescent globes can be recycled by dropping them into collection bins at the following locations:
Rokewood Resource Recovery Centre - 141 Meadows Road, Rokewood
Ballarat Transfer Station - 119 Gillies Street South, Alfredton
Geelong Transfer Station - 100 Douro Street, North Geelong
Household chemicals cannot be placed in any kerbside bin and cannot be poured down the sink. Take household chemicals to City of Ballarat’s Gillies Street Transfer Station in South Ballarat or attend a Detox Your Home event organised by City of Greater Geelong on a regular basis.
Place napkins and serviettes in the garbage bin.
Nappies cannot be recycled. Place nappies in the garbage bin.
Place personal hygiene products including tampons and pads in the garbage bin.
Golden Plains Shire does not currently have a green waste or food and garden organics collection service. Many residents compost food and garden organics at home, and Council offers compost bins at wholesale prices in two sizes. Read more here.
If you are unable to compost at home, food and garden organics should be placed in your garbage bin.
Paint cannot be placed in any kerbside bin and cannot be poured down the sink. Take unwanted paint tins to City of Ballarat’s Transfer Station or to City of Greater Geelong's Transfer Station.
Medicines cannot be placed in any kerbside bin. Return out-of-date and unwanted medicines to your local pharmacy (through the Returned Unused Medicines project).
Rubber cannot be recycled in the kerbside recycling collection. Place in the garbage bin.
Sharps and clinical waste cannot be recycled. Sharps can be placed in the collection bin located at the Golden Plains Civic Centre in Bannockburn.
Textiles, clothes and rags cannot be recycled. Place in the garbage bin.
If your unwanted clothing still has life in it, please consider taking it to an op shop.
Toys cannot be recycled. Place in the garbage bin.
If your unwanted toy still has life in it, please consider taking it to an op shop.
Treated and untreated wood cannot be recycled in the kerbside recycling bin. Place small wooden items in the garbage bin and take larger untreated wood to:
Rokewood Resource Recovery Centre - 141 Meadows Road, Rokewood
Ballarat Transfer Station - 119 Gillies Street South, Alfredton
Geelong Transfer Station - 100 Douro Street, North Geelong