RECYCLING GUIDE

Circular Economy Diagram

WASTE FOR RECYCLING

Everyone needs to play their part for a circular economy to function.

  • Designers and manufacturers have a responsibility to reduce waste and to use recycled material wherever possible in new products
  • Consumers need to make choices that support the circular economy, endeavour to use less and to sort whatever waste they create to maximise recycling
  • Transfer Stations, Councils and recyclers need to work together to educate and assist the public to ensure waste is properly sorted and the maximum amount is sent for recycling
  • Minimal waste should be sent to landfill

Below is an outline of recyclable items and how they are recycled, as well as items that are not fit for recycling. Please contact our friendly team if you are unsure if we can accept your waste.

RECYCLABLE WASTE TYPE

EXAMPLE & ACCEPTED FORMAT

RECYCLING OR DISPOSAL

GREEN WASTE

  • Branches, pruning, plants, weeds, leaves

  • Separated from other waste

  • No plastic bags or ties

  • Bundled or loose branches

  • Green waste is sent to dedicated recycling facilities

  • Shredded to make mulch for commercial and residential use

  • Organics are turned into a high-quality compost which is sold to farmers and residents

METALS

  • White goods, air conditioners, scrap metal

  • Can be separated into ferrous (metals with iron component eg. steel, stainless steel, iron) & non ferrous (metals with no iron component eg. aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin, zinc)

  • Copper cables – remove lead ends and plastic connectors, leave PVC covering

  • Sent to metal recycling plants like Future Recycling in Dandenong

  • Ferrous and non ferrous metals are processed to be turned into a new
    metal material 

  • There are many advantages to recycling metal, including environmental benefits, cost savings and energy savings

ALUMINIUM CANS

  • Cans and aluminium foil, free of contaminants

  • Sent to metal recycling plants like Future Recycling in Dandenong for processing

  • Aluminium is infinitely recyclable

GLASS BOTTLES

  • Food and beverage glass bottles and jars only

  • Clear, green or brown glass

  • No windows or cosmetic bottles

  • Sent to glass recycling plant

  • Melted down to create more glass

PAPER & CARDBOARD

  • Newspaper, printing paper, magazines

  • Cardboard boxes and packaging

  • Sent to paper recycling plant

  • Reprocessed to be turned into recycled cardboard and paper

E WASTE

  • Items with a battery or cord

  • Including computers, mobile phones, microwaves, hair dryers, televisions, DVD players etc

  • Sent to dedicated e-waste facility

  • E-waste is separated into its different commodities, Graphene, steel, plastic, aluminium and copper is extracted to make new products

HARD PLASTICS

  • Plastic bottles and containers displaying recycling codes 1 and 2 (PET/HDPE)

  • Lids removed

  • Sent to plastic recycler

  • Shredded into flakes, washed and sorted by colour

  • Flakes are then sold to plastic manufacturers to become new products, such as bottles, containers etc

SOFT PLASTIC

  • Plastic bags and food packaging displaying recycling codes 3 - 7

  • Sent to specialty soft plastic recycler

  • Soft plastics processed to be turned into other items such as heavy-duty outdoor plastic furniture and roads

  • Or may be chemical recycled and turned back into oil, that can be used for making new plastic resins for fuel and other purposes

PAINT

  • Paint in tins accepted

  • Sent for processing

  • Unused paint is safely disposed of

  • Packaging is processed and sent to make new products

NON-RECYCLABLE WASTE TYPE

EXAMPLE & ACCEPTED FORMAT

DISPOSAL INFORMATION

GENERAL WASTE

General waste, also called residual waste, is material from businesses and households that cannot be recycled

All waste is sorted at each Transfer Station to remove as much recyclable material as possible

Material that cannot be recycled is sent to landfill

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Some waste cannot be disposed of at our transfer stations. For disposal of prohibited waste, please contact the following agencies

NB: Commercial & builder’s waste is not accepted

Asbestos containing material contact EPA 1300 372 842

Household chemicals contact Sustainability Victoria 1300 363 744

Farm chemicals contact ChemClear 1800 008 182

Dead animals, sheep skins, offal or seafood waste and bulk vegetable waste contact EPA on 1300 372 842

Contaminated soils contact Gippsland Water 1800 050 500