Click on the links below to find out more about a range of topics related to waste, recycling and sustainable living.
Discover more about the waste and resource recovery sector in Victoria and explore the waste hierarchy commonly known as the three Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle. Click here to view the interactive pdf.
Find out about what happens to your household recyclables after they leave your kerbside. Click on the links for companies serving metropolitan Melbourne’s suburban councils.
Donate to charity
Donating to charity is one way you can dispose of unwanted items while helping others in need and reduce the environmental damage through the production of new items.
National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations
Free to giveaway and swap sites- these sites offer free listings for items to give away or wanted.
Planet Ark - Find a new home for your unwanted gifts - give to charity, re-gift or even host your own swap party.
Resale Centres
You can recycle unwanted household items through Resale Centres located at a number of resource recovery and transfer stations across metropolitan Melbourne, including:
Following the success of Coles' reusable bag drives in 2010, Coles has launched a new trial to provide Victorian customers with a convenient and responsible way to recycle a range of plastic food packaging.
Recycling bins are located in 114 stores across the metropolitan area. The plastic is collected by RED Group and recycled in Victoria by Replas into bench seats for schools and kindergartens.
Materials accepted as part of the trial will include cling wrap, bread bags, pasta bags, cereal bags, lolly bags, frozen food bags, carry bags, fresh produce bags and reusable ‘green’ bags.
Coles is also inviting schools and kindergartens to apply to win a piece of garden furniture by emailing how they have worked to make their local environment ‘greener’ to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (entries close on 19 February 2012).
Learn more about the flexible packaging trial here.
Search for drop-off locations for recycling and disposal of a wide range of household items using our ‘find a service’ function. Alternatively, check the links below for a range of other programs and initiatives.
Recycling Near You is a Planet Ark resource that provides information recycling a range of items.
Detox your home
Get rid of unwanted chemicals in your home that are dangerous to both you and the environment.
Check the ‘Find a Service’ for permanent collection points or visit Sustainability Victoria to view the mobile collection calendar.
E-waste
Keeping e-waste out of landfill helps prevent hazardous substances such as lead, mercury and chromium leaching into soil and water. In addition, the recycling process saves valuable energy and the need to extract natural resources required to make new products. Depending on the items you wish to dispose of, there are a number of options:
Depending on your area, some local councils also run dedicated e-waste collection days for residents. You can find your council's contact details here.
You can also contact the manufacturer to see if they offer a take-back scheme for your unwanted e-waste. See below for some examples of manufacturer’s who offer recycling services in Australia:
The Federal Government is in the process of developing legislation that will enable the development of a national product stewardship scheme for televisions and computers. The scheme will establish a range of collection points for free drop-off of these items and is expected to commence within the next year.
Disposing of domestic asbestos
Dispose of any asbestos from your home environment.
Hanson's Wollert Landfill
45 Bridge Inn Road
Wollert VIC 3750
(Melway 389 E8)
t: (03) 9408 1299
Unwanted Medicines
It’s important to keep drugs and medications out of the environment. For more information visit the Return Unwanted Medicines Project, which collects unwanted medication and drugs through pharmacies.
Research suggests Australian households throw out more than $5 billion worth of food every year- learn how you can reduce the waste.
Recycling and organic waste at home
Backyard solutions for recycling organic (food and green) waste include composting, worm farms and keeping chickens.
Gardening and composting
Office of Environment & Heritage - easy composting
Vasili's Organics and Gardening
Sustainable Gardening Australia
International Composting Awareness Week
Worm farms
Office of Environment & Heritage - easy worm farming
Keeping chickens in your backyard
Environment Victoria has developed an online library of materials in languages other than English on a wide range of sustainability topics.
Find out about federal and state government agencies responsible for waste policy and management.
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Environment Protection and Heritage Council
Environment Protection Authority
Commissioner of Environmental Sustainability Victoria
Find out about industry initiatives to improve recycling and resource recovery of consumer goods.
Find out about government and non-government organisations working to keep our country clean and litter-free.
Sustainability Victoria's Litter Strategy
Last Updated: Wednesday, 09 May 2012