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A to Z rubbish and recycling guide

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Use our A to Z Waste Guide to find out how to recycle or dispose of household items in Knox.

Not sure if you can recycle, donate or dispose an item?

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email [email protected] and we'll add it to the list.

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A

Aluminum foil

Roll into a ball the size of a tennis ball and put in your recycling bin

Ammonia based cleaners

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Antennas

Put in a bag in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection

Anti-freeze

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Animal droppings

Put in a bag in your rubbish bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Asbestos – NOT accepted in any household bin

Do not cut or break!
Visit asbestos.vic.gov.au or contact the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) on 1300 372 842 for the correct and safest way to dispose of asbestos.

Ash from fireplace

Wood only - no nails, metal or hot coals
Put in your food and garden bin or general rubbish bin

B

Baby wipes

Put in your rubbish bin

Baking paper

Put in your rubbish bin

Balloons

Put in your rubbish bin

Bamboo plants and bamboo sticks/stakes

Put in your rubbish bin

Baths

Ceramic bath or wrought iron bath - Book a hard rubbish collection or take to the Transfer Station
Fibreglass bath - take to the Transfer Station

Batteries

AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries are accepted at free collection points at Aldi, Coles, IGA, Woolworths, Bunnings, Mitre 10, Battery World and IKEA stores.
Bunnings and Battery World also accepts 6V, power tool and button batteries
Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Make sure you place plastic tape over both ends of battery to prevent fires.

Barbeques

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Bean bag beans (polystyrene)

Take in a strong, clear plastic bag to Foamex in Bayswater North for free recycling
Securely bagged in your rubbish bin

Berry punnets

Put in your recycling bin

Bikes, scooters and skateboards

Donate to Brainwave Bikes or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection

Biodegradable bags, cups and cutlery

Put in your rubbish bin

Biscuits

Put in your food and garden bin

Blankets, doonas and bedding

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Blinds (up to 1.5m length)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Bones (raw or cooked)

Put in your food and garden bin

Books

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Put in your recycling bin

Bottles and tops (plastic and metal)

Put in your recycling bin with bottle squished (where practical) and lid on

Bowls/plates (bamboo, paper, plastic and ceramic)

Put in your rubbish bin

Boxes (cardboard)

Put in your recycling bin
Take to the Transfer Station

Brake fluid

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Branches

Put in your food and garden bin - no bigger than 30cm length and 10cm diameter
Use the bundled branch collection service

Bread

Put in your food and garden bin

Bricks, rubber and concrete

Take to the Transfer Station

Broken drinking glass

Wrap in paper and put in your rubbish bin

Building materials

Do an internet search or take to the Transfer Station

Bubble wrap

Put in your rubbish bin

Butane (disposable) gas cannisters

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Butter

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

C

Cake/pastries

Put in your food and garden bin

Cameras

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Take to the Transfer Station

Camping (disposable) gas cannisters

Dispose of via Detox your home

Car batteries

Take to the Transfer Station

Cardboard (regular)

Put in your recycling bin
Take to the Transfer Station

Cardboard (wax coated)

Put in your rubbish bin

Car parts (metal)

Do an internet search
Take small pieces (no engines) to the Transfer Station

Car wax

Dispose of via detox your home
Put in your rubbish bin

Carpet and carpet underlay

Do an internet search
Book a hard rubbish collection (limit of 2 rolls up to 1.5m each)
Take to the Transfer Station

CDs, DVDs and VHS videos

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection
Do an internet search
Take to the Transfer Station

Ceramics (broken)

Put in your rubbish bin

Ceramics (intact)

Donate to a local op-shop or resell

Cereals

Put in your food and garden bin
Put in your Bokashi bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Cheese

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Chemicals (household)

Do an internet search
Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Chicken (raw/cooked)

Put in your food and garden bin

Christmas tree (living)

Cut up the tree and put in your food and garden bin - no bigger than 30cm length and 10cm diameter
Cut up the tree for our bundled branch service - up to 1.5m length or 30cm diameter for all bundles
Take to the Transfer Station
Contact Customer Service

Christmas tree (artificial)

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Cigarette butts (cold/unused)

Put in your rubbish bin

Citrus

Put in your food and garden bin

Cling film

Put in your rubbish bin

Clothing

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin

Coals (Cold/Unused)

Put in your rubbish bin

Coals (Warm/Hot)

Not to go in any bin until they have been extinguished with water.

Coat hangers (wire or plastic)

Put in your rubbish bin

Coffee filter paper

Put in your food and garden bin

Coffee grounds (loose)

Put in your food and garden bin

Coffee pods (compostable/plastic)

Put in your rubbish bin

Compostable bags

Only use lime green AS4736 certified compostable bags in your food and garden bin

Compostable containers, cups and packaging

Put in your rubbish bin

Computers and monitors

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection or take to the Transfer Station
Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Do an internet search

Cooking oil

Do an internet search

Coolant

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Copha

Put in your rubbish bin

Corks

Remove any metal and put in your food and garden bin

Corrugated iron and metal

Book a hard rubbish collection – up to 1.5m length
Take to the Transfer Station

Cosmetics

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Cream

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Crockery and glasses

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin or book a hard rubbish collection

Cubby house (plastic)

Book a hard rubbish collection

Cubby house (timber)

Take to the Transfer Station

Cups and saucers (broken)

Put in your rubbish bin

Curtains

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection

Curtain rods, tracks and brackets

Book a hard rubbish collection – up to 1.5m length
Take to the Transfer Station

Custard

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Cutlery (metal)

Donate to a local op-shop or resell

Cutlery and chopsticks (including single use)

Put in your rubbish bin

D

Dairy products

Take out of container or wrapping and put in your food and garden bin

Dead animals (bagged)

Put in your rubbish bin

Deli meats (cooked/raw)

Put in your food and garden bin

Detergent bottles

Put in your recycling bin
Take to the Transfer Station

Dips

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Disinfectants

Refer to the Detox Your Home website
Pu it in your rubbish bin

Disposable nappies (bagged)

Put in your rubbish bin

Disposable wooden cutlery and chopsticks (single use, natural with paint, no paint or treatments)

Put in your rubbish bin

Dishwasher

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Dog poo or cat poo (bagged)

Put in your rubbish bin

Doors

Book a hard rubbish collection – limit of 2 doors per collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Dryer or washing machine

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

DVD, CD and VCR players

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

E

Egg cartons

Dirty egg cartons with food spoilage can be put in your food and garden bin. No other boxes except oily pizza boxes, and no more than 3% of your entire bin's contents.
Clean egg cartons can be put in your recycling bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Eggs and eggshells

Put in your food and garden bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Electrical appliances (e-waste)

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Take to a Planet Ark drop off point

Engine oil (30L or less)

Take to the Transfer Station

F

Fencing or lattice

Take to the Transfer Station

Fertiliser

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Filing cabinet (metal or timber)

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection

Fire extinguishers

Red extinguishers – bring to Detox Your Home Day
Yellow extinguishers – contact A-Gas in Laverton on 1800 658 084 for more information

Fish or fish and chips

Put in your food and garden bin - including the greasy paper/box

Fluorescent tubes or globes

Do an internet search

Floor care products and waxes

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Foam boxes and trays

Securely bagged in your rubbish bin

Food cans (empty)

Put in your recycling bin

Food waste or scraps

Put in your food and garden bin
Put in your Bokashi bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Fridges and freezers

Book a hard rubbish collection – remove the doors before putting out for collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Fried food

Put in your food and garden bin

Fuel (petrol, diesel, kerosene or other)

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Furniture

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection – maximum 1.5m length
Take to the Transfer Station

G

Garden tools

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Garden waste

Garlic

Put in your food and garden bin

Gas bottles and cylinders

Take to the Transfer Station, except nitrous oxide bottles go to Transnitro

Gates

Take to the Transfer Station

Glass sheets

Wrap and label "glass"
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Glues (water and solvent based)

Refer to the Detox Your Home website
Put it in your rubbish bin

Golf balls

Find bin locations

Grains

Put in your food and garden bin

H

Hair (pet or human)

Put in your food and garden bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Heater (oil)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Heater (electric or gas)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Herbicides and weed killers

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Herbs and spices (raw/dried)

Put in your food and garden bin

Hot water unit

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Household chemicals

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

I

Incontinence pads (disposable)

Put in your rubbish bin

Insect spray or pesticides

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Irons

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Ironing board

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Iron and scrap metal

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

K

Kitty litter (bagged)

Bag and put in your rubbish bin

Kitty litter (biodegradable)

Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Kitchen caddy (broken or not needed)

Make sure your Knox kitchen caddy is empty and clean and put in your recycling bin

L

Ladder (timber or metal)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Laundry sink (metal/plastic)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Lawn mower

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Light globes (LED, halogen or incandescent)

Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Do an internet search

Light fittings

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Logs/branches (no tree stumps)

No larger than 10cm in diameter and under 1.5m length (Whole bundle needs to be no more than 30cm in diameter) – Put out for your bundled branch collection
1m long and under 30cm in diameter – Put in your food and garden bin

M

Margarine tubs

Put in your recycling bin

Mannequins

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Mattresses and bases

Book a hard rubbish collection – limit of 2 per booking
Take to the Transfer Station

Meat or fish scraps

Put in your food and garden bin

Meat trays (foam)

Put in your rubbish bin

Meat tray (plastic)

Put in your recycling bin

Medicine (old/expired)

Take to your local pharmacy/chemist

Medicine blister packets (empty)

Find a location to recycle
Put in your rubbish bin

Medicine bottles (empty)

Put in your recycling bin

Metal sheets

Book a hard rubbish collection – up to 1.5m length
Take to the Transfer Station

Mirrors

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection – Wrap and label as "glass"

Mobile phones

Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Take to Officeworks at Bayswater or Ferntree Gully
Recycle your mobile with MobileMuster via post or a drop off location
Take to some mobile phone stores and some supermarkets
Collect a free recycling pouch from our Customer Service counter

Mouldy food

Put in your food and garden bin

N

Napkins / serviettes (100% paper-based, clean or dirty without any cleaning products or chemicals)

Put in your food and garden bin

Nappies (disposable)

Put in your rubbish bin

Nails and screws

Put in your rubbish bin

Nail polish and remover

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Newspapers (clean)

Put in your recycling bin

Newspapers (food stained)

Put in your food and garden bin (cannot make up more than 3% of the total capacity of the bin)

Put it in your rubbish
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Newspapers (used for paint or chemicals)

Put in your rubbish bin

Nitrous gas bottles

Nitrous oxide bottles go to Transnitro

Noodles

Put in your food and garden bin

Nuts

Put in your food and garden bin

O

Oil (motor oil up to 30L)

Take to the Transfer Station

Oil (cooking)

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Oil (solid e.g. copha or ghee)

Put in your rubbish bin

Onion

Put in your food and garden bin

Oyster shells

Put in your rubbish bin

Ovens

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

P

Paint

Take to a Paintback drop-off location
Take to the Transfer Station

Paint stripper, thinner, turps or methylated spirits

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Paint tins or drums (dry and empty)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Pallets

Take to the Transfer Station

Paper straws

Put in your rubbish bin

Paper towel (100% paper-based, clean or dirty and without any cleaning products or chemicals)

Put in your food and garden bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Pasta (cooked or raw)

Put in your food and garden bin

Pet food (dry or wet)

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Pet food tins (empty and rinsed)

Put in your recycling bin

Pet litter

Put in your rubbish bin

Pharmaceuticals and medicines

Take to your local pharmacy

Picture frames

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection

Pillows

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Pizza boxes

Dirty/oily pizza boxes with food spoilage can be put in your food and garden bin. No other boxes except dirty egg cartons, and no more than 3% of your entire bin's contents.
Clean pizza boxes can be broken down and put in your recycling bin

Plasterboard

Take to the Transfer Station

Plastic bags

Put in your rubbish bin
Soft plastics - Drop off at selected Woolworths stores across Knox

Plastic containers (large)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Plastic pots and plant tags (clean)

Do an internet search for "where to recycle PP5 plastic waste"
Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Contact Customer Service
Put in your rubbish bin

Plastic strapping and film

Put in your rubbish bin

Plastic wrappers

Put in your rubbish bin

Plates/bowls (bamboo, paper, plastic and ceramic)

Put in your rubbish bin

Plate glass (wrapped)

Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection

Polystyrene (large pieces)

Take to Foamex in Bayswater North for free recycling
Take to the Transfer Station
Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Contact Customer Service
Put in your rubbish bin

Polystyrene (small pieces)

Securely bagged in your rubbish bin

Pool chemicals

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Pool pump

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Pots and pans

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection

Potting mix

Only purely organic and does not contain vermiculite can be put in your food and garden bin
Put in your rubbish bin (max 10kg)

Prams and pushers

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection

Printer cartridges or toner

Take to a Planet Ark drop off point

PVC or plastic pipe

Put in your rubbish bin

Pyrex ovenware (broken)

Put in your rubbish bin

Pyrex ovenware (whole)

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Put in your rubbish bin

R

Rat poison

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Rice (cooked or raw)

Put in your food and garden bin
Put in your Bokashi bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Rubber

Put in your rubbish bin

S

Scrap metal

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Seeds

Put in your food and garden bin
Put in your Bokashi bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Shellfish (soft – not oyster shells)

Put in your food and garden bin

Shoes

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection

Shower screens

Book a hard rubbish collection – no more than one shower and must wrap and label as "glass"
Take to the Transfer Station

Shredded paper

Put in an envelope in your recycling bin - don't over-stuff the envelope
Put in your food and garden bin - no more than 3% of your entire bin contents
Put in your rubbish bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Silicon bakeware

Put in your rubbish bin

Smoke alarms

Soft plastics

Drop off at selected Woolworths stores across Knox

Solar panels

Do an internet search for a solar panel recycler near you

Spa bath (including parts such as fittings, pipes and frames)

Take to the Transfer Station

Sporting equipment

Donate to a local op shop or resell
Take to a Planet Ark drop-off point
Do an internet search

Sporting goods

Donate to a local op shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection
Do an internet search

Spreads (Vegemite, peanut butter, jam etc)

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Steel cans and tins (empty)

Put in your recycling bin

Steel (not including cans or tins)

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Stoves

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Straw or hay (clean)

Must be clean straw or haw – no pet poo
Put in your food and garden bin

Straws (paper/plastic)

Put in your rubbish bin

Straws (bamboo/pasts)

Put in your food and garden bin

Styrofoam

Take to Foamex in Bayswater North for free recycling
Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Take to a Planet Ark drop-off point

Syringes

Contact Customer Service

T

Takeaway plastic food containers

Put in your recycling bin

Takeaway coffee, juice and soft drink cups (including lids)

Put in your rubbish bin

Tea bags (paper)

Put in your rubbish bin
Put in your Bokashi bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Tea leaves (loose)

Put in your food and garden bin
Put in your Bokashi bin
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Televisions

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

Tetra packs

Put in your recycling bin

Textiles or linen

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

Tiles (ceramic, roof)

Take to the Transfer Station

Timber (including tree stumps)

Book a hard rubbish collection – maximum 10 pieces up to 1.5m length and 30kg weight
Take to the Transfer Station

Timber (treated)

Tinned food (including pet food)

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin
Tin/can can be put in your recycling bin

Tissues (100% paper-based)

Put in your food and garden bin
Tissues with make-up or nail polish can be put in your rubbish bin

Toasters

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

Toilet

Book a hard rubbish collection – limit of 1 toilet per booking
Take to the Transfer Station

Tools including power tools

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Toys

Donate to a local op-shop or resell
Put in your rubbish bin
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search
Contact Customer Service

Trampoline (dismantled)

Book a hard rubbish collection

Transmission fluid

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Tree prunings

Put in your food and garden bin - must be no bigger than 30cm length and 10cm diameter
Put in your bundled branch collection – up to 1.5m length, 30cm diameter (for the entire bundle) and up to 30kg weight
Take to the Transfer Station
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Tree stumps

Max length 1.5m length and 30kg weight
Book a hard rubbish collection – do not put in your food and garden bin or bundled branch collection

Tyres

Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

V

Vacuum cleaner

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

Vacuum cleaner dust

Put in your rubbish bin

Vapes/Vape pens

Don't put in any rubbish bin because they have batteries that can cause fires
Dispose of for free at Whitehorse Recycling and Waste Centre
Follow Planet Ark instructions

Vinyl flooring

Book a hard rubbish collection – maximum of 2 rolls per booking
Take to the Transfer Station

W, X, Y

Washing machines

Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

Waxed cardboard

Put in your rubbish bin

Weeds

Put in your food and garden bin or your bundled branch collection if pesticide free.
Put in your rubbish bin if they have been treated with pesticides
Add to your compost bin or worm farm

Weeds (noxious)

Put in your food and garden bin or your bundled branch collection
Put in your rubbish bin if they have been treated with pesticides

Wet wipes

Put in your rubbish bin

Whitegoods

Book a hard rubbish collection – you must remove fridge or freezer doors before putting out for collection
Take to the Transfer Station
Do an internet search

Window frames (metal)

Must be securely wrapped and labelled as "glass"
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Window frames (timber)

Take to the Transfer Station – must be securely wrapped and labelled "glass"

Window glass

Must be securely wrapped and labelled as "glass"
Book a hard rubbish collection
Take to the Transfer Station

Wood / branches (untreated and logs only - no tree stumps)

Put in your food and garden bin – no larger than 30cm length and 10cm diameter
Put out for your bundled branch collection – up to 1.5m length, 30cm diameter and up to 30kg weight
Book a hard rubbish collection – maximum 10 pieces up to 1.5m length and 30kg weight
Take to the Transfer Station

Wood preservatives and finishes (oils and varnishes)

Refer to the Detox Your Home website

Wooden cutlery and chopsticks (single use, natural with paint, no paint or treatments)

Put in your rubbish bin

X-rays

Take to the Transfer Station
Take to a Planet Ark drop off point
Do an internet search

Yoga mats

Learn where to send your pre-loved yoga mats for recycling

Yoghurt

Remove packaging and put in your food and garden bin

Need help?

Or call our Customer Service team on 9298 8000.