Waste FAQs
Frequently asked questions about waste reduction
Recycling household items is not always straightforward. Below, we've compiled answers to many of the questions residents ask us on recycling.
Can I recycle pizza boxes?
A pizza box is mainly cardboard and if it's not full of oil spots and remaining food, then you can recycle it.
Can I recycle plastic bags?
Soft plastics, like plastic bags, chip and snack wrappers, don’t belong in your recycling or FOGO bins as they contaminate the waste streams. Please place them in your red-lid bin, or to recycle them, make sure they’re empty and dry and drop them off at the Randwick Recycling Centre, 72 Perry Street, Matraville. This service is only available to residents of Randwick Council.
For more information please visit https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/services/rubbish-and-recycling/recycling-centre/Soft-plastics-recycling
Can I recycle large cardboard boxes?
Large cardboard boxes are fully recyclable but can take up a lot of space in your bins. Please flatten or tear them up, and remove any excess packaging tape and staples, before placing them in your yellow-lid recycling bin. Please do not place these items inside your FOGO bin.
Can I recycle pringles cans?
Pringles cans are made from what is called composite packaging. This means that the can is made from a 'sandwich' of different materials e.g. a layer of aluminium internally, with a layer of cardboard externally. This type of packaging is hard to recycle and has to be disposed of in your red-lid bin. The lid though is made of plastic and can be recycled in your yellow-lid bin.
Does Randwick council recycle LDPE plastics (#4) or do I have to throw them in the rubbish?
Randwick Council accepts LDPE plastic packaging for recycling through the yellow-lid recycling bin. However, plastic bags cannot be accepted in the yellow-lid recycling bin (some are made from LDPE). Generally, if it's a plastic container that's been used in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry, it can go in the yellow-lid recycling bin.
What can I do with my batteries when I need to throw them out?
Batteries should never be placed in household bins red, yellow, or FOGO or left out for council clean-up, as they do cause dangerous garbage truck fires. Common household batteries can be safely recycled by dropping them off at a convenient location such as your local shopping area for a list of drop off locations please visit https://bcycle.com.au/drop-off/
For embedded batteries (those built into devices), please take them to the Randwick Recycling Centre at 72 Perry Street, Matraville. You can also book a home collection for batteries and other items through Recycle Smart. https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/services/rubbish-and-recycling/recycling-centre/recyclesmart
Can used tissues be recycled or composted?
Tissues, paper towels, sanitary products and wipes should not be placed in your yellow recycling or FOGO green bins. Please dispose of these items in your red-lid garbage bin only.
Can you recycle Easter Egg wrappers?
Easter egg wrappers are too small to be recycled on their own. Collect your wrappers and scrunch them into a large ball before placing them in your recycling bin. If you don’t have enough, you can place them inside an empty aluminium drink can and then put the can into your recycling bin.
Where can we dispose of electronic waste, e.g. a printer?
You can bring your computers, televisions, printers and fax machines to Council's Recycling Centre, 72 Perry St Matraville for recycling.
Is there anywhere in the Eastern Suburbs that I can take empty plant pots?
Plastic plant pots cannot be placed in kerbside recycling bins because they are made from polypropylene (PP5) plastic. To recycle PP5 plant pots, visit https://www.pp5.com.au/#find to find participating stores such as Bunnings, Mitre 10, or Flower Power that offer recycling services for these items.
Can I recycle this?
Item | Can it be recycled? |
|---|---|
Pizza boxes | A pizza box is mainly cardboard and if it's not full of oil spots and remaining food, then you can recycle it. |
Plastic bags | Plastic bags are only recyclable through a special process. So if you would like to recycle these bags, you need to bring these bags, emptied and dried, to the Randwick Recycling Centre at 72 Perry Street, Matraville, or to your closest Coles supermarket. |
Large cardboard boxes | Large cardboard boxes are fully recyclable but take up too much space in bins. Flatten and tear up boxes and place in the yellow-lid bin. |
Pringles cans | Pringles cans are made from what is called composite packaging. This means that the can is made from a 'sandwich' of different materials e.g. a layer of aluminium internally, with a layer of cardboard externally. This type of packaging is hard to recycle and has to be disposed of in your red-lid bin. The lid though is made of plastic and can be recycled in your yellow-lid bin. |
LDPE Plastics (#4) | Randwick Council accepts LDPE plastic packaging for recycling through the yellow-lid recycling bin. However, plastic bags cannot be accepted in the yellow-lid recycling bin (some are made from LDPE). Generally, if it's a plastic container that's been used in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry, it can go in the yellow-lid recycling bin. |
Used tissues | Dirty tissues should not be placed in the yellow lid recycling bin. They can be placed in the worm farm or compost bin without any issues. |
Easter egg wrappers | In Randwick City Council, we will not accept Easter egg wrappers as they are likely to be contaminated with chocolate and also too small to process at the recycling processing plant. |
Coffee cups | Plastic lids on takeaway coffee cups can be recycled in the yellow lid recycling bin. The plastic lining inside takeaway cups cannot be easily separated during standard recycling processes. While the paper outer may seem recyclable, it’s fused with polyethylene or PLA plastic, The cup will need to be placed inside the red lid bin. |
Aluminium foil | Aluminium foil can be recycled in the yellow lid recycling bin if the foil is free of food particles and is scrunched up into a cricket-size ball. |
Where Can I take this?
Item | Take it to... |
|---|---|
Old batteries - size AA, C or D | If you are a Randwick Council resident, you can take your old AA, C or D batteries to Council's Administration building at 30, Frances Street, Randwick where boxes are provided for battery recycling. |
Electronic waste | You can bring your computers, televisions, printers and fax machines to Council's Recycling Centre, 72 Perry Street, Matraville for recycling. |
Empty plastic plant pots | Small plastic pot plants can be recycled through the household recycling bin, but only if they meet all the criteria below:
Any other types of plastic pot plants and plastic plants are considered contamination in the recycling stream. |
Didn’t find your answer? For any further information or if you have any questions please email council at council@randwick.nsw.gov.au and request to be put in contact with a member of the Waste and Circular Economy team.