A-Z waste and recycling guide
Not sure how to recycle or properly dispose of an unwanted item? This list should help you out.
If the item you wish to recycle is not listed below, visit the Recycling Near You website.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | V | W | X | Y
A
| Acids and alkalis | Chemical CleanOut |
| Aerosol cans (with contents) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| Aerosol cans (empty) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Aluminium cans | Yellow lid recycling bin, Return and Earn |
| Aluminium foil (clean) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Aluminium foil (not clean) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Asbestos | Waste management centre |
| Ash (bagged) | Red lid garbage bin, compost bin or worm farm |
B
| Baits (rodent) | Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre |
| Baskets (eg washing baskets, plastic baskets, woven baskets) | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection, Donate to charity |
| Bathroom basin, bath, cupboards, fittings | Red lid garbage bin, Waste management centre |
| Bathroom waste (eg makeup remover pads, cotton balls, tissues, etc) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Batteries (household use including rechargeable) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Battery World, Aldi supermarkets, Council's Libraries, Council's administration building |
| Batteries (car and motorcycle) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Battery World, Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre , Repco |
| Batteries (mobile phone) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Mobile muster |
| Bicycles | Donate to charity, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Biscuit packets | Trays in yellow lid bin; Foil packets in red lid garbage bin; plastic packets to Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre for soft plastic recycling |
| Books | Donate to charity, Second hand book store or sell, Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Bottle tops | Red lid garbage bin |
| Bubble wrap (clean) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre for soft plastics recycling |
| Building materials | Waste management centre |
| Butane cans (empty) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Butane cans (with contents) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre , Chemical Clean Out |
C
| Cardboard (small) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Cardboard (flattened boxes and large sheets) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre or Beaumont Road Mt Ku-ring-gai drop off point |
| Car parts/accessories | Waste management centre, scrap metal recyclers |
| Carpet and underlay |
Small quantity for one room can go in Bulky Waste Collection Large quantities can go to Waste management centre, |
| CD (discs) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| CD (covers) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Floppy disks, cassette tapes, video tapes, laser disks | Recycling Near You, Red lid garbage bin |
| Ceramics (including crockery) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Chairs | Donate to charity, Bulky Waste Collection, Waste management centre |
| Chemicals | Chemical CleanOut |
| Christmas tree (live) | Compost bin, Chipping day, Waste Management Centre, Green lid green waste bin (cut tree to fit in bin) |
| Christmas tree (plastic) | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Clothing and accessories | Swap with friends, Donate to charity, Take to Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Garbage bin |
| Coat hangers (plastic) | Charity stores, Red lid garbage bin |
| Coat hangers (metal) | Charity stores, return to dry cleaners, scrap metal recyclers |
| Coffee Capsules | Nespresso, TerraCycle (for other coffee capsule brands), Red lid garbage bin |
| Coffee Cups (single-use) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Coffee tins/cans | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Computer paper | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Computers and computer peripherals | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Recycling Near You |
| Computers (broken, smashed) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Concrete | Waste management centre |
D
| Disposable nappies | Red lid garbage bin |
| Doors | Waste management centre, donate to charity, Bulky Waste Collection |
| DVDs (discs) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| DVDs (covers) | Red lid garbage bin |
E
| Electrical appliances (eg toasters, kettles) | Red lid garbage |
| Electronic (computers, TVs) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| Exercise equipment | Donate to charity, Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
F
| Fabric | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity |
| Fencing (any type) | Waste management centre, Bulky waste collection (up to 1 metre lengths) |
| Flares (boating) | Roads and Maritime Services |
| Fluorescent tubes and light globes | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre |
| Fire extinguishers | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre |
| Fridges | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection, scrap metal recyclers |
| Fruit and vegetable scraps (food waste) | Compost bin or worm farm, Red lid garbage bin |
| Fuels | Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre |
| Fungicides | Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre |
| Furniture (broken) | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Furniture (still in good condition) | Donate to charity |
G
| Garden waste | Green lid green waste bin, compost bin or worm farm, waste management centre, Council chipping days |
| Garbage (eg food waste, old clothes, household items) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Garden hose and tools | Red lid garbage bin, Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection, |
| Garden ornaments | Waste management centre, Donate to charity, Red lid garbage bin |
| Gas bottles | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Chemical CleanOut |
| Garden chemicals | Chemical CleanOut |
| Glass (cooking and food storage, window, glassware for drinking, sheets, shower screens) | Red lid garbage bin, Waste management centre |
| Glass bottles and jars from food. Glass bottles for drinks | Yellow lid recycling bin, Return and Earn |
| Glasses / spectacles | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity |
| Guttering | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
H
| Hazardous waste | Chemical CleanOut |
| Heaters (oil) | Chemical CleanOut |
| Heating oil | Chemical CleanOut |
| Herbicides | Chemical CleanOut |
| Hot water systems | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Household cleaners | Chemical CleanOut |
| Household cleaning product containers (empty) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
I
| Ice cream containers and lids | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Ink cartridges | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Australia Post, Recycling Near You |
| Insulation batts | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
J
| Juice cartons | Yellow lid recycling bin, Return and Earn |
| Junk mail | Yellow lid recycling bin |
K
| Kitty litter | Red lid garbage bin |
| Kitchen cupboards and sinks, fittings and utensils | Waste management centre |
| Kitchen appliances | Red lid garbage bin, Waste management centre |
L
| Lattice | Waste management centre |
| Laundry tubs, cupboards and fittings | Waste management centre |
| Lawn mowers | Waste management centre |
| Lids of bottles and jars | Leave the lids on all plastic bottles (milk, juice, soft drink, etc.). These lids can be left on as you are recycling plastic with plastic. Please ensure these bottles are empty before you recycle them. However, with glass bottles and jars the lids should be removed as the lids are made with material that is different from the container. Lids separated from containers which are bigger than a 50 cent piece can be recycled in your yellow-lidded bin, while smaller lids should be placed in your red lid garbage bin |
| Light bulbs | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Chemical CleanOut |
| Light - Christmas lights | Red lid garbage bin |
| Lino | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Linen (towels, sheets, cushions, blankets, etc) | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity if in good condition |
| Logs | Waste management centre |
| Lunch boxes | Red lid garbage bin |
M
| Magazines | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Magnets (fridge) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Masonite | |
| Mattresses | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Meat trays (empty) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Medicine bottles (empty) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Medicines and medical supplies | Return to participating hospitals and pharmacies |
| Microwave ovens | Bulky Waste Collection |
| Milk bottles and cartons | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Mirrors | Waste management centre, Red lid garbage bin |
| Mobile phones | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
N
| Needles and syringes | Take to participating pharmacies and hospitals |
| Newspapers | Yellow lid recycling bin |
O
| Office paper | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Oil (motor and lubricants) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Chemical CleanOut, Waste management centre |
| Oil (cooking) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Waste management centre, Red lid garbage bin, soak up with paper towel and put in to compost bin |
| Oil (heating) | Chemical CleanOut |
| Oil (empty containers) | Red lid garbage |
| Ornaments (eg garden or household) | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity if in good condition |
P
| Paint tins (liquid or hardened paint) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| Paint tins (empty) | Remove lids and place in red lid garbage bin |
| Paint tins (with lids that can't be removed, with or without contents) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| Pallets | Waste management centre |
| Paper | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Paper (shredded) | Compost bin or Red lid garbage bin |
| Paper towel (used) | Compost bin or worm farm, Red lid garbage bin |
| Pens and pencils | Red lid garbage bin |
| Perspex | Waste management centre |
| Pesticides | Chemical CleanOut |
| Petrol | Chemical CleanOut |
| Picture frames | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity |
| Pizza boxes (empty) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Pizza boxes (with food) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Plasterboard | Waste management centre |
| Plastic disposable containers from the kitchen | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Plastic disposable containers from the laundry | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Plastic disposable containers from the bathroom | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Plastic drink containers | Yellow lid garbage bin, Return and Earn |
| Plastic plant pots | Yellow lid recycling bin for pots up to 30cm diameter, cleaned and washed. All other pots red lid garbage bin. |
| Plastic plates, cups, knives, forks | Red lid garbage bin |
| Plastic pipes, PVC plumbing | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Plastic storage containers (Tupperware, crates) | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Plastic bags (soft and clean) | Return to supermarket, Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Red lid garbage bin |
| Plastic wrapping / packaging (soft and clean) | Return to supermarket, Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Red lid garbage bin |
| Plastic bags and packaging (containing food remnants) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Plastic strapping | Red lid garbage bin |
| Poisons | Chemical CleanOut |
| Polystyrene | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Porcelain / pottery | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection, Donate to charity |
| Pool chemicals | Chemical CleanOut |
| Pool covers | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Pots and pans | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection, Waste management centre, Donate to charity |
| Pyrex (glass ovenware) | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection, Donate to charity |
R
| Radios | Donate to charity (if still working), Waste management centre, Red lid garbage bin |
| Records (vinyl) | Donate to charity, sell, Red lid garbage bin, |
| Rocks | Waste management centre |
| Roof tiles | Waste management centre |
| Rubber inner tubes | Bulky Waste Collection, Waste management centre |
| Renovation material | Waste management centre |
S
| Sand / soil | Waste management centre |
| Sawdust | Compost bin or worm farm, Red lid garbage bin (bagged) |
| Seedling containers and garden pots | Red lid garbage bin |
| Shoes | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, donate to charity, Red lid garbage bin |
| Shredded paper | Compost bin, Red lid garbage bin, pet shop |
| Smoke alarms (with batteries removed) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Red lid garbage bin, Chemical CleanOut |
| Solvents | Chemical CleanOut |
| Sporting goods, exercise equipment | Red lid garbage bin, donate to charity, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Spray cans (with contents) | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| Spray cans (empty) | Yellow lid garbage bin |
| Stationary (pens, etc) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Steel cans | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Stereo equipment and speakers | Donate to charity (if still working), Red lid garbage bin, Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre |
| Styrofoam | Recycling Near You, garbage bin |
| Syringes and needles | Take to participating pharmacies and hospitals. https://www.safesharps.org.au/ |
T
| Take away food containers (not polystyrene) | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Tarpaulins | Red lid garbage bin, Waste management centre |
| Tea bags | Compost bin or worm farm, Red lid garbage bin |
| Telephone books | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Televisions | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Donate to charity, Waste management centre |
| Televisions (broken, smashed) | Red lid garbage bin |
| Thermometers | Red lid garbage bin |
| Timber | Waste management centre |
| Tin cans | Yellow lid recycling bin |
| Tissues/toilet paper | Red lid garbage bin |
| Toilets | Waste management centre |
| Toner printer cartridges | Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, Recycling Near You |
| Tools | Bulky Waste Collection, Donate to charity, Garbage bin |
| Toys | Red lid garbage bin, Donate to charity |
| Tree trunks / stumps | Waste management centre |
| Tyres and wheels | Waste management centre, Tyre Stewardship Australia |
V
| Vacuum cleaner dust | Compost bin or worm farm, Red lid garbage bin (bagged) |
| Video tapes | Donate to charity, Recycling Near You, Red lid garbage bin |
| Vinyl | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection |
W
| Washing machines | Bulky Waste Collection, Waste management centre, scrap metal recycler |
| Waxed cardboard | Red lid garbage bin |
| Wheel barrows | Donate to charity, Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
| White goods | Bulky Waste Collection, Waste management centre, Scrap metal recyclers |
| Window frames (no glass) | Waste management centre, Bulky Waste Collection |
| Window panes (glass) | Waste management centre, Red lid garbage bin |
| Wine bladders (all types) | Red lid garbage |
| Wire | Red lid garbage bin, Bulky Waste Collection |