Asbestos is hazardous and must be handled and disposed of safely. To find a licensed asbestos disposal facility, visit the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency website. For further advice, contact the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) or visit the Asbestos Victoria website.

Batteries (including rechargeable batteries) do not belong in any household bin, as they can harm the environment, workers and even cause fires in the trucks or at the recycling facility.

Household batteries

You can recycle your batteries at the Recycling Hubs at our Customer Service Centre locations and at Aqualink, Box Hill. This includes AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V, button and removable rechargeable batteries (including batteries removed from items such as power tools and cameras).

You can also drop of the above household batteries at your closest B-cycle drop-off point. Collections are at many supermarkets, Bunnings and Batteryworld stores.

The safest way to transport used batteries to a drop-off point is to tape the end terminals and store in a glass jar or heat-resistant container. For more safety information, visit Battery safety - B-cycle.

Embedded batteries

Items with embedded or built-in batteries (such as laptops or televisions) cannot go in any of the kerbside bins as they can start truck fires. Recycle for free at the Recycling and Waste Centre, or (select items only) at Officeworks stores. Alternatively, find other drop-off locations near you by searching the Recycle Mate app.

Swollen or damaged batteries

Car batteries

Car batteries can be dropped of at our Recycling and Waste Centre.

To find other battery drop-off locations near you, search the Recycle Mate app.

Donate an old bike to charity through Brainwave Bikes, a charity that supports families and children with brain injuries and illness. Bikes can be dropped off at the Recycling and Waste Centre and then they will be donated to Brainwave for reuse. Alternatively, donate your bikes directly to Brainwave Bikes by completing the form and dropping off at your nearest location.

Does your bike just need a tyre replacement or maintenance? There are many businesses and online resources to help, such as the Bicycle Network, visit their website to learn more about bike maintenance.

Bike tyres and tubes can be recycled through the Recycle Bike Tyres program. Visit Recycle Bike Tyres website for a list of participating partners and their stores.

These can be recycled through the following programs:

• Banish
• TerraCycle: encourage a local school, business or community group to become a collection point.
• Pharmacycle: there are currently 9 free drop-off points locally, where the public can return used and empty medicinal blister packs for free. These are:
  • Chemist Warehouse Burwood
  • Chemist Warehouse Balwyn
  • Chemist Warehouse Box Hill South - Home Co. DC
  • Chemist Warehouse Whitehorse Box Hill
  • Chemist Warehouse Forest Hill Brentford Square
  • Chemist Warehouse Box Hill
  • Chemist Warehouse Box Hill Central
  • Chemist Warehouse Forest Hill
  • Chemist Discount Centre Blackburn

Alternatively, place blister packs in the garbage bin.

New and second-hand bras in good condition can be donated to Support the Girls who provide them to those in need in Australia. 

If bras are in non-reusable condition, they can be placed into your garbage bin.

Recycle bread tags through Bread tags for Wheelchairs who recycle them to fund wheelchairs for those in need in developing countries.

There are multiple collection points in Melbourne.

You can now receive a 10-cent refund for eligible drink containers. through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic). Refund points are located across Whitehorse, with new CDS baskets in community locations providing an easy way to leave containers for others to collect and return. Visit the CDS Vic website to find your nearest refund point and learn more about the scheme.

Large quantities of paper and bulky cardboard could cause collection issues which may result in your bin not being emptied correctly.

Bulky cardboard or paper that does not fit in your kerbside recycling bin can be taken to the following places to be recycled for free:

• The Recycling and Waste Centre (cardboard only)
• VISY drop off points in Campbellfield and Springvale

These items can be dropped off at any of the Recycling Hubs at our Customer Service locations and the Vermont South Library.

Do you have new or pre-loved children’s items to donate? Our Village accepts donations for babies and children to give them to a family or child in need. 

They ask for all donations to be clean, in excellent condition, and within Australian safety standards regarding second-hand goods. Please check the list of items they accept. 

Donations must be booked in advance and dropped off at the Clayton warehouse.

Clothing can be dropped off at the textiles unit in the Nunawading Library foyer. To find other clothing drop-off locations near you, search the Recycle Mate app.

You can also find other reuse and recycling options on Reusable Items Collection page.

Recycle through Simply Cups collection points.

Consider ditching disposable coffee cups and opt for a reusable coffee cups instead. Responsible Cafes connects you with eco-conscious cafes, with some cafes offering discounts for bringing your own reusable cup. 

Alternatively, these can be placed in your garbage bin.

Coffee pods can be disposed of in the garbage bin. Alternatively, see below for recycling and reuse options.

Coffee pods can be recycled depending on the brand through the following programs:

• Nescafe Dolce Gusto Coffee pods can be recycled through a Terracycle collection point
• Nespresso coffee pods can be recycled at one of their collection points, or you can order a satchel from Nespresso to return your used pods. For more information visit the Nespresso website
• The Aldi Espressi recycling program has reached capacity. For the moment your Espressi pods need to go in your red-lidded bin. For more information visit the Aldi website
• Biodegradable pods can be composted in your home composting system
• All other brands go in the red-lidded garbage bin.

Alternatively, consider purchasing reusable coffee pods.

Corflute cannot be recycled in the yellow-lidded kerbside bins.

Corflute can be recycled for at the Corex site in Dandenong. For more information, visit Corex.

Electronic waste (e-waste) is any unwanted item with a plug, battery or cord. These items cannot go in your kerbside bins and must be disposed of correctly. 

Recycle for free at the Recycling and Waste Centre, booking a hard waste collection or (select items only) at Officeworks stores. Alternatively, find other drop-off locations near you by searching the Recycle Mate app.

For more information, visit Sustainability Victoria's website.

Recycle used engine oil at select Supercheap Auto stores. Ensure that oil is in its original sealed container. Bottles must be no bigger than 10L and there is a limit of 4 bottles per customer. 

To find other engine oil drop-off locations near you, search the Recycle Mate app.

These items can be dropped off at any of the Recycling Hubs at our Customer Service locations and the Vermont South Library. Cases are not accepted. 

We partner with Opticycle, who recycle these items locally. 

Yellow halon fire extinguishers

Dispose of through the Australian Government’s free National Halon Bank.

Note: Yellow fire extinguishers contain halon which is an ozone-depleting chemical.

Red fire extinguishers

Some transfer stations, including Future Recycling - Bayside Waste and Recycling Centre and Cleanaway Clayton Transfer Station accept fire extinguishers. Please call ahead to confirm and note that fees apply.

These items can be dropped off at any of the Recycling Hubs at our Customer Service locations and the Vermont South Library.

These items can be recycled at the Recycling and Waste Centre. 

These items are considered hazardous and should not be placed in your Council kerbside services. See disposal options below:

• Recycle gas bottles (up to 9kg) at our Recycling and Waste Centre.
• Exchange your gas bottles through an exchange program such as Elgas’ SWAP’n’GO and Supagas.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) canisters for home drink carbonation systems (such as SodaStream) are designed to be reused, with many companies offering a discount on your replacement product or cash refund for their return to participating stores or service stations. Visit the SodaStream website for locations or contact the manufacturer for options.
• Nitrous oxide canisters (for example, whipped cream canisters) require collection and disposal from a licenced operator. Search for nitrous oxide and dangerous goods recycling services to dispose of these correctly. Please note, any collection and disposal fees come incur a cost.

To find out more information on how to recycle golf balls, visit Golf Ball Recycling.

Household chemicals should not be disposed in any bin or poured down the drain. 

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) will continue the Detox Your Home program from 1 July 2026. Detox Your Home provides residents with a safe way to dispose of hazardous household chemicals at events across the state. Register to receive updates about future events.  

In the meantime, refer to the below information on disposal, storage and choosing safer, non-toxic household chemicals from Sustainability Victoria.

Safe chemical storage
Follow label instructions and never mix chemicals, as dangerous reactions may occur. Wash hands after handling chemicals, clean up spills promptly, and check containers regularly for leaks or damage.

Where to store chemicals
Store chemicals out of reach of children and pets, preferably in a locked area away from food, direct sunlight, heat, flames and ignition sources. Pool chemicals and oxidisers require extra care and should be stored separately from other materials.

Containers and labelling
Keep chemicals in sealed, clearly labelled containers, preferably in their original packaging. Never use food or drink containers for storage. If chemicals are transferred to another container, clearly label the contents.

Items at home that contain a battery (or rechargeable battery) include mobile phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, toys, e-bikes, and electric toothbrushes. These do not belong in any household bin. Recycle for free at the Recycling and Waste Centre or booking a hard waste collection. Certain items can also be recycled at Officeworks stores. Alternatively, find other drop-off locations near you by searching the Recycle Mate app.

Light globes (excluding fluorescent light tubes) can be dropped off at any of the Recycling Hubs at our Customer Service locations and the Vermont South Library. Alternatively, they can be recycled at the Recycling and Waste Centre. 

Mobile phones and charging cords are considered as electronic waste and should not be placed in your kerbside bins. Recycle for free at the Recycling and Waste Centre, booking a hard waste collection or at Officeworks stores. 

Alternatively, they can be recycled through the following:

• Mobile Muster
• Phone Cycle, which has a phone recycling program where profits go to Zoos Victoria and free courier collection for 10 or more devices

Recycle up to 100 litres of paint through Paintback at our Recycling and Waste Centre. Paint must be secured in containers no larger than 20 litres.

Visit the Paintback website for a full list of accepted items.

Empty pens and markers can be recycled at selected Officeworks stores. 

Recycle by dropping off for free at Foamex in Bayswater North. You can also drop off small amounts (up to ½ m³) for free at the Monash Waste Transfer and Recycling Station Alternatively, place in your kerbside garbage bin.

Plant pots are unable to go in your kerbside recycling bin, but can be recycled elsewhere:

• Check with your local nursery to see whether they accept them.
• Visit the PP5 website to find a business near you that accepts them.

A number of supermarkets in Whitehorse are participating in a new Soft Plastics Recycling Trial. Items must be clean and dry to be accepted. Eligible soft plastics include:

• plastic bags

• bread bags

• chip packets

• cereal liners

• confectionary packaging.

For a list of participating supermarkets, please visit the Woolworths website. 

Please note that the trial is intended for customers who shop at the small number of select participating stores. The trial is for household soft plastics only and does not include commercial waste from businesses, bulk soft plastics, or paper bags.

If you do not shop at a participating supermarket, please continue to place your soft plastic items in your red-lidded garbage bin, not in your yellow-lidded recycling bin. When placed in your recycling bin, soft plastic can contaminate the recycling stream and disrupt and damage machinery at the processing facility. 

Find out other ways you can reduce your waste.

Recycle at retail stores, find your nearest location through Planet Ark.

For items in good condition, consider the following:

• Donating to a friend, charity, op shop or toy library. Visit Sustainability Victoria's website for more information
• Selling items online or via a garage sale
• Attending the Garage Sale Trail hosted each year in November.

Reverse Art Truck may accept items that be used by schools and the community for art. Item accepted may include

• CD covers
• Second hand premium artist-grade pens and pencils
• Larger items, as we also resource ‘Loose Parts’ play to schools around Victoria. These may take the shape of things as diverse as vintage suitcases, foam mattresses, sheets and blankets, 80’s style plastic Sebel school chairs, gym crash mats and more.
• Fabric.

Please visit their donation page to how to donate and whether your items are accepted.

For household smoke detectors, remove battery if is possible and safe to do so, and put the smoke detector in your kerbside garbage bin.

Smoke detectors used for commercial or industrial purposes that contain Americium-241 in excess of 40kBq or contain any other substance are required to be returned to the seller for disposal.  

One of the conditions of the licence to sell these types of smoke detectors is that the sales company must accept unwanted detectors for disposal. The detector is required to be marked with supplier return details followed by the name and address for return purposes.

Should there be any difficulty in returning unwanted detectors to the supplier, the Department of Health's Radiation Safety team can be contacted for further advice.

Dispose of solar panels via Council's hard waste collection (maximum of 2) or at the Whitehorse Recycling and Waste Centre for a fee. Alternatively, recycle via EcoActiv. 

Sharps container units are available from our Customer Service Centres.

Full containers can only be returned to our Nunawading and Box Hill Customer Service Centres for safe disposal:

• Whitehorse Civic Centre, 379-399 Whitehorse Road, Nunawading
• Box Hill Service Centre, Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

For more information, visit the Sharps Containers – Collection or Disposal page.

Toys in good condition may be donated to a local pre-school, kinder charity or a Toy Library (check whether items are needed before donating). A list of local toy libraries can be found here.

Toys can also be donated via council's Reusable items collection or sold via the annual Garage Sale Trail.

Toys that are not reusable can be disposed of through the following:

• Plastic toys can be disposed of via the garbage bin or recycled through TerraCycle
• Toys with a battery, plug or a cord are classified as electronic waste and should be recycled as electronic waste. Refer to the drop down above.

Return Unwanted Medicines provides information about pharmacies who are participating in the take back scheme.

Do not put vapes in your garbage bin as they contain batteries. They may be dropped off at the Recycling and Waste Centre or disposed of by following Planet Ark's instructions. 

X-rays can be dropped off at any of the Recycling Hubs at our Customer Service locations and the Vermont South Library. Please note that envelopes are not accepted. Small quantities of x-rays can also be recycled at our Recycling and Waste Centre.