Your waste and recycling guide

Best option for disposal:

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Best option for disposal:

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Best option for disposal:

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Best option for disposal:

Both latex and foil balloons can be recycled through Terracycle's free balloon recycling program. Find your nearest drop off point here. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red rubbish bin.

Sports balls and rackets should never be put in your recycling bin. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Otherwise:

Barbeques are one of the household waste items residents are able to have picked up from their property.
For more details on booking and what items can be included visit the hard waste page. 

If your barbeque still has gas or fuel, find out how to safely disposal of hazardous waste.

Best option for disposal:

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Best option for disposal:

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Blinds are one of the household waste items residents may be able to have picked up from their property. Maximum width is 1.5m.

For more details on booking and what items can be included visit the hard waste page. 

Best option for disposal:

Blister packs can be dropped off for recycling at the following pharmacies:

• Kardinia Pharmacy, 2-18 Colac Road, Belmont
• Community Care Chemist Bellarine Village, Shop 5 Bellarine Village Shopping Centre, Newcomb
• Community Care Chemist Belmont, 1/157 High Street, Belmont
• Community Care Chemist Geelong West, 1/184 Pakington Street, Geelong West
• Community Care Chemist Grovedale, 122 Burdoo Drive, Grovedale
• Community Care Chemist North Geelong, 75 Separation Street, North Geelong
• Ocean Grove Terrace Pharmacy, 76A The Terrace, Ocean Grove
• Norlane Community Centre, 39A Rose Ave, Norlane

Due to high volume of uptake with this program we recommend you contact your chosen pharmacy before visiting to confirm they still have capacity to accept your blister packs.

Check for new pharmacies as they come on board with the scheme on the Pharmacycle website. 

Otherwise:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Best option for disposal:

Cardboard bread tags should be placed in your yellow lid kerbside recycling bin. As they are so small, it is best if you place them inside a larger paper item such as an envelope or paper bag first. 

Plastic bread tags can be dropped off at one of the below locations for recycling: 

• Bakers Delight, Shop 8, 164 High St, Belmont
• South Barwon Community Centre, 33 Mt. Pleasant Rd, Belmont
• Bakers Delight, 159 Pakington St, Geelong West
• Surf Coast Hearing Clinic, Suite 5, 6 Walker St, Torquay
• Urban Upcycle in Geelong: Note this is a pop-up collection point - email [email protected] or text 0434 832 391 for next date and location

Plastic bread tags recycled at the above locations are used by Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs to raise funds to provide wheelchairs to those in need.

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Small quantities can be dropped off free to local construction recyclers Regional Recycle at 313 Hamilton Highway, Fyansford, VIC.

Call before you visit to ensure they are still able to accept material: 0421 174 360

Do not place in any kerbside bin. Bricks may make your bin too heavy to lift and damage the trucks and machinery. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Take to the Drysdale Recovery Centre. Fees will apply.

Do not place in any kerbside bin. Building rubble may make your bin too heavy to lift and damage trucks and machinery. 

Best option for disposal:

Drop off at Drysdale or Geelong Resource Recovery Centres. Tyre limits and fees apply.

Best option for disposal:

Poor condition: place in your red lid landfill bin.

Otherwise:

Good condition: drop off at Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS).

As well as pet related items, GAWS also accepts many household items. These are either used directly in caring for the animals they house or sold on through their op-shop. You can find out more here. 

Best option for disposal:

Otherwise:

Unopened cans of cat food can be donated to Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS).

GAWS accept a wide range of pet related items; you can find out more here.  

Best option for disposal:

Plastic cellophane: Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Otherwise:

True cellophane: If you purchase true cellophane, it is completely biodegradable and can be directed to your compost bin. True cellophane is made from plant-based materials. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to identify plastic-coated cellophane as store-bought products are rarely labelled.

Watch this online video to learn how to tell the difference between true cellophane and its plastic-coated form.  

Best option for disposal:

Small pieces of chipboard can be placed in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Never place chipboard in your green lid garden organics bin. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red rubbish bin. 

Otherwise:

Drop off at Drysdale or Geelong Resource Recovery Centres. Fee will apply. 

Best option for disposal:

Metal clothes horses can be disposed of free of charge at the Drysdale or Geelong Resource Recovery Centres as scrap metal. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin.

Aluminium pods are too small to be recycled through the kerbside system. 

Biodegradable pods cannot be placed in your green garden organics bin. Currently most are not actually biodegradable to Australian standards. 

Otherwise:

Banish and Terracycle offer paid coffee pod recycling services. 

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Drop it off for free at the Geelong or Drysdale Resource Recovery Centre. Check the relevant website for limits.

Best option for disposal:

Place corks in your red lid rubbish bin.

Otherwise:

If you can, recycle your corks at one of the following locations:
- South Barwon Community Hub
- Nardi’s Cellarbrations, Highton Village: corks are recycled at kindergartens for craft.
- St Luke’s Uniting Church, Highton

Larger pieces of cork such as cork tiles can be placed in your red lid rubbish bin too. If you have too much for your bin, you can take to the Drysdale or Geelong Resource Recovery Centres and dispose of for a fee. 

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

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Best option for disposal:

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If you still have dog food left, Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) is seeking donations of the following:
- Dry dog food
- Wet and dry cat food
- Treats such as schmackos and pigs ears

You can find out more here. 

Best option for disposal:

E cigarettes (vapes) must not be placed in any of your kerbside bins.

It is against the law to place e-waste in kerbside bins in Victoria.

If the battery can be removed safely it can be taken to one of many local battery drop off points.

Hold onto both vapes that cannot have the battery removed as well as vapes that have had it removed. Check back on this page soon for updates on what to do with them. 

Otherwise:

You can receive email updates on how to safely dispose of vapes, as well as other recycling tips by subscribing to Rethink Your Rubbish. 

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Poor condition: Place in your red lid kerbside rubbish bin. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

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Best option for disposal:

Bag each batt and take to the Drysdale Resource Recovery Centre. Disposal fees apply.

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

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Best option for disposal:

Take out out-of-date and unwanted medicines to your local pharmacy.

Otherwise:

Known as the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project, the national scheme provides for unwanted and out-of-date medicines to be collected by community pharmacies from consumers.

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Otherwise:

The following items can be dropped off for free at Officeworks stores: pens, felt tip pens, highlighters, textas, markers, mechanical pencils, correction tape, liquid paper, fountain pens and ink cartridges. 

Find out more here. 

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Do not place in your recycling bin, even if the toy is plastic. 

Otherwise:

Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) is seeking donations of pet toys and enrichment items such as kongs, tug toys, and scratching posts.

GAWS also accepts many other household items. These are either used directly in caring for the animals they house or sold on through their op-shop. You can find out more here. 

Best option for disposal:

Photographic film negatives can be recycled by dropping them off at the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct at 137-149 Mercer Street, Geelong, during opening hours. They should be placed in the dedicated x-ray slot in the recycling station located in the foyer.

Otherwise, place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Bag each batt and take to the Drysdale Resource Recovery Centre. Disposal fees apply.

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Check whether the retailer you purchased the cartridge from accepts empty cartridges back for recycling.

Otherwise:

All Officeworks stores accept printer cartridges for recycling. Some other local businesses such as Harvey Norman and Australia Post accept them at selected stores. Find your nearest collection point. 

Best option for disposal:

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Reuse rags for cleaning around the house. 

Do place textiles of any type in your recycling bin. 

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin. Wrap any part that came into contact with bodily fluid first. 

The cardboard package and paper instructions can be placed in your recycling bin. 

Best option for disposal:

Small amounts of small rocks and stones can be wrapped in plastic or paper and placed in your red lid rubbish bin. Please keep in mind if your bin is too heavy the truck will not be able to lift it. 

Otherwise:

Try donating or giving away large amounts of small rocks and stone to community groups or via online free cycle or buy nothing groups.

Larger rocks or stones should be taken to the Drysdale Resource Recovery centres for disposal. Charges apply.

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Medical sharps (syringes and needles) disposal bins can be found at the following locations:

Renal Services - Home Dialysis Unit 74-76 Swanston St Geelong

Labuan Square Labuan Square Norlane

Belmont Library 163 High St Belmont

Drysdale Library rear of 2/15 Hancock St Drysdale

Ocean Grove Community Health Centre Presidents Ave Ocean Grove

Geelong Hospital (Front Emergency Entrance) Ryrie Stree Geelong

Geelong Library 49 Lt Malop St Geelong

Newcomb Community Health Centre Bellarine Highway East Geelong

Corio Community Health Centre (Street side of building) Gellibrand St Corio

Corio Community Health Centre (Carpark of building) Gellibrand St Corio

Belmont Community Health Centre Reynolds Rd Belmont

Waurn Ponds Library 140 Pioneer Rd Grovedale

Geelong West Library 153a Pakington St Geelong West

Sharps disposal locations are subject to change. Always check with the centre/organisation beforehand.

Best option for disposal:

Poor condition: Place your suitcase in your red lid rubbish bin.

Otherwise:

If too large for your kerbside bin, you can drop off suitcases and luggage at either the Geelong or Drysdale Resource Recovery Centres (charges apply).

Or

Suitcases are one of the household waste items residents may be eligible to have picked up from their property.
For more details on booking and what items can be included visit the hard waste page. 

Or

Terracycle offer a paid recycling service for suitcases and luggage. Find out more here. 

Good condition: you may wish to donate your suitcase to a local op shop or advertise online community ‘freecycling’ group.

Best option for disposal:

Otherwise:

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin.

Otherwise:

If the lid is white and definitely labelled as plastic 1, 2 or 5 it can be separated from the cup section and placed in your recycling bin. All other plastic types must be placed in the rubbish bin. 

Coffee lids with a home compostable AS 5810 symbol on them can be placed in your home compost.

Do not place coffee lids with any compost symbols on in your green lid garden waste bin. 

Best option for disposal:

If the timber has been grown in your garden and you know for sure it has had no chemical treatments it can be placed in small pieces in your green lid garden organics bin.

Do not place large or heavy pieces in your bin, otherwise it may not be emptied. 

Otherwise:

Any timber that has been treated should be placed in your red lid garbage bin in small pieces. Do not place large or heavy pieces in your bin, otherwise it may not be emptied. Alternatively, treated wood can dropped off for a fee at Drysdale Resource Recovery Centre.

Any timber purchased for building purposes may have been treated with some sort of chemical, even if it says it is 'natural' or 'untreated'. Help us keep or green waste facility healthy by leaving any timber of this type out of your green bin. 

Best option for disposal:

Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Best option for disposal:

Placed in your red lid rubbish bin.

Best option for disposal:

 Empty into a bag or wrap in paper and place in your red lid rubbish bin.

Best option for disposal:

Best option for disposal:

Poor condition: Place in your red lid rubbish bin. 

Otherwise:

Ripcurl stores accept all wetsuits brands for recycling. Simply drop off in store or, if you are not near a store, they may provide free postage. Find out more here. 

Good condition: Donate or sell. 

Best option for disposal:

If the wood has been grown in your garden and you know for sure it has had no chemical treatments it can be placed in small pieces in your green lid garden waste bin. Do not place large or heavy pieces in your bin, otherwise it may not be emptied. 

Otherwise:

Any wood that has been treated should be placed in your red lid garbage bin in small pieces. Do not place large or heavy pieces in your bin, otherwise it may not be emptied. Alternatively, treated wood can dropped off for a fee at Drysdale or Geelong Resource Recovery Centres.

Any wood that is purchased for building purposes may have been treated with some sort of chemical, even if it says it is 'natural' or 'untreated'. Help us keep our green waste facility healthy by leaving any wood of this type out of your green bin. 

Best option for disposal:

Otherwise: