What to do with hard-to-recycle items?

Are you like us, we really want to avoid putting anything in landfill possible, but sometimes it’s incredibly difficult to know where to recycle items that can’t go in mixed recycling bins at home or work. We’re making it our mission to find out what you can do with these items, and want to share what we learn to help others, like you.  

BATTERIES 

While you can’t put batteries into kerbside recycling, they can be recycled. Here are some tips:  

  • Should not be placed in general waste or recycling bins. 

  • Should be taped at contact points with clear sticky tape 

  • Should be dropped off or collected to be recycled 


Recycling provider examples include: 

1. Batteries for Planet ARK  (workplace) 
https://businessrecycling.com.au/batteries4planetark/ 

2. Bunnings stores (residential batteries) 
https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/home-improvement/sustainability-recycling/where-and-how-to-recycle-batteries 

3. B-cycle drop off points (on a map) 
https://bcycle.com.au/ 

4. Check transfer stations at local councils 

5. Officeworks does not collect batteries 

BLISTER PACKS 

For a long time, there wasn’t any easy way to recycle blister packs, but it’s really important to recycle them if you can as they include aluminium which is infinitely recyclable if rescued.  

  • Can’t be recycled in kerbside or other recycling bins because aluminium and plastic layers are combined and need to be separated in a special way which isn’t easy to do.  

  • Can be recycled by specialist collection centres that have a process to strip the aluminium from the plastic.

Recycling options include: 

  1. Pharmcycle is a recently formed service that can be used by individuals with collection points at many pharmacies (e.g. Chemist Wharehouses). They are be located on a map at the website address below.  
    For larger organisations a commercial collection can be arranged.  
    Pharmcycle.com.au 

    2. Brad Banish recycling program (but this is based out of NSW and you need to be send the blister packs by mail) 
    https://banish.com.au/pages/recycling-program

PENS 

Each year in Australia, over 140 million pens are sold, contributing approximately 700 tonnes of plastic waste to landfill sites across the country. 

Here are two places you can take your pens and related materials to be recycled: 

  1. Officeworks take a heap more than pens when it comes to stationery, they just don’t take pencils. Items they do take include: 

  • Correction tape 

  • Felt tip pens 

  • Fountain pens and ink cartridges 

  • Pens 

  • Highlighters 

  • Liquid paper 

  • Markers 

  • Mechanical pencils 

 

They also take other items like electrical cables, old phones and more. Find out more here https://www.officeworks.com.au/information/about-us/peopleandplanet/recycling 
 

TETRA PAKS 

Until recently Tetra Paks recently could not be easily recycled  in Australia (though there are upcycling facilities overseas).  However, ontainer deposit schemes in Victoria now accept smaller Tetra Paks (and you get 10c for them) but not larger ones. For more details visit: https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/about/tetrapak 

  

BIOPAK CUTLERY 

These can be put into home composts and some council green bins (designated for organic waste). Check with your council. 

  

BIODEGRADABLE PACKING PEANUTS 

Are made from naturally derived starches and dissolve in water - you can put them in the sink.  

They won’t pollute waterways like styrofoam. 

  

ROLLS OF FOAM 

Can’t be recycled in your kerbside bin but some council transfer stations will accept it to be recycled. Check with your local council.