Top ten questions about household rubbish and recycling in Canberra

1. Who do I contact about missed recycling or rubbish collection, broken bins or getting an extra bin for home?

   For information about a missed collection, damaged, broken or lost bin, you may call Cleanaway directly on 6260 1547 for queries about garbage services or 6260 1472 for queries about recycling services.

   If you would like to enquire about an extra bin or related services, please contact Canberra connect on 13 22 81 or use this electronic form.
   Garbage, Recycling Bins or Hoppers: New or Additional

2. What do I do with my old television and how much will it cost?

   Please see our new page about TV and Computer Recycling Services in Canberra. 

3. Where can I take spent batteries?

   Car Batteries: Domestic quantities of car batteries may be taken to Mitchell, West Belconnen or Mugga Lane Resource Management Centres. There is no charge for this.
   Some scrap metal merchants or vehicle battery shops accept car batteries for recycling. The Yellow Pages directory lists these services.

   Mobile Phone: Mobile phone batteries may be dropped off at the Mobile Muster collection points provided at each of our Recycling Drop Off Centres and Resource Management Centres. The Mobile Muster website describes the program fully.
   
   Other household batteries: Small quantities of other batteries from home can be taken to Battery World in Phillip for recycling. Larger quantities may attract a fee. Contact number for Battery World is 13 17 60.

4. Fluorescent tubes and lamps.

   Householders can drop off their fluorescent tubes and lamps for free at both Mitchell and Mugga Lane Resource Management Centres. Commercial quantities are not accepted at these facilities. The lights are taken interstate to recover the mercury vapour, glass, phosphor and aluminium for reuse.

   There are multiple companies listed in our Who Recycles What In the ACT guide that will recycle fluorescent tubes and lamps for a fee.

5. Expanded polystyrene

   Expanded polystyrene is the hard white foam used for things like packaging around electrical items, food transportation and insulation in buildings. Commercial quantities of this product are accepted for recycling by a specialist service provider. Small domestic quantities may be put into your household garbage bin to be taken to landfill. If you would like more information about expanded polystyrene, go to: Recycling Expanded Polystyrene Australia

6. Green waste.

   The ACT Government has provided an environmentally responsible and cost effective solution for recycling green waste by providing free drop off centres in Canberra. This system enables us to recover over 95% of green waste. The TaMS website has information about green waste facilities.

   The ACT Government, through the Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water, is considering future initiatives and strategies to deal with green and organic food waste.

7. Is there a waste collection service for big items like in other councils?

   The ACT Government in conjunction with Tiny's Green Shed is conducting a 12-month trial of a bulky waste household collection service, commencing 27 April 2011.

   This is the first time a bulky waste collection service has been provided in the ACT with the ACT Government committing $1 million to the trial over 12-months.

   As this is a trial, limits will apply. Limits include one free collection for eligible households. Weight limits also apply for people using the service on a fee for service basis. See below for more details.

   The ACT Government may survey participants to help determine the effectiveness of the service.

   About the bulky waste collection trial
   

8. Why don't we use the number system in the ACT to help us learn which plastic things can be recycled?

   The number system uses the voluntary Plastics Identification Code to mark products with a triangle of chasing arrows containing a number between 1 and 7. These numbers identify the resin used in the product.

   Although the numbers appear inside a triangle of chasing arrows, the code does not necessarily mean that the product can be recycled through our household collection service.

   In Canberra, we use a very simple message to help people understand what can go into their household recycling bin: If the plastic is rigid or hard, please put it in your recycling bin. If the plastic is soft, like cling wrap or chip packets, please put it in the garbage bin.
   This approach enables people to determine whether or not a plastic product can be recycled even if it doesn't have a number on it. It also means that there is no confusion created by a plastic that takes on different forms, like number 6 (polystyrene) which is acceptable in its rigid form, but not acceptable as expanded foam.

9. What can I do with the household chemicals I have collected?

   If there is no way to use these chemicals correctly or give them to someone who may use them, disposal is the only option. There is a Household Hazardous Waste collection point in the Transfer Station at the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre. If you are unable to bring the chemicals in their original container, please ensure that you use a suitable container labelled with the contents and let staff at the weighbridge know what you have. No explosives or pharmaceuticals are accepted at either facility.