A-Z of recycling

Empty aerosol cans should be placed in your yellow recycling bin.

Empty aerosol cans from the kitchen, bathroom or laundry can be recycled through the weekly recycling service.

Cans containing butane and other accelerants should be taken to the Northern Sydney Community Recycling Centre. 

Air conditioners can be collected during Council's clean-up collection.

Aluminium cans should be placed in your yellow recycling bin.

Aluminium beverage containers can be returned through Return and Earn for 10 cents each. Find a return point near you.

Aluminium foil can be placed in your yellow recycling bin.

This does not include foil with plastic lining (for example, chip packets).

Clean foil, with no food or oil residue, can be squashed into a ball and placed in your recycling bin. The ball should be about the size of a tennis ball so that it's heavy enough to pass through the recycling machinery. 

Artificial grass can be collected during Council's clean-up collection.

Must be cut into 1 metre lengths and bundled. Maximum 0.5m³.

If in good condition, it may be suitable to sell online or donate to a local charitable organisation. Read more on our sustainable options for unwanted items page. 

Asbestos cannot be placed in any Council bin and is not accepted for collection during Council's clean-up collections. 

Visit the EPA website to find facilities that accept household asbestos. 

Read more on our asbestos fact sheet.  

Lithium automotive batteries cannot be placed into home general waste or recycling bins. They can cause fires during waste collection, transportation, handling and processing.

Car batteries of 5kg or less can be safely disposed of at a B-cycle battery recycling drop off point, taken to the Northern Sydney Community Recycling Centre or can be dropped off at a Household Chemical CleanOut event.

Lithium-ion batteries cannot be placed into home general waste or recycling bins. They can cause fires during waste collection, transportation, handling and processing.

Small, undamaged batteries (not swollen, punctured, or leaking, etc.) can be safely disposed of at a B-cycle battery recycling drop off point. It is recommended that battery terminals are taped over with clear adhesive tape before placing the battery carefully (without dropping it) into a battery recycling collection bin.

Batteries can also be taken to the Northern Sydney Community Recycling Centre or a Household Chemical CleanOut event.

Damaged batteries

Place leaking or damaged (but not overheated or off-gassing) batteries in a clear plastic bag and take them to a Community Recycling Centre or a Household Chemical CleanOut event for disposal.

For more information about battery recycling, visit the Australian Battery Recycler’s Initiative or read about E-waste (electronic waste) disposal on our website.

Phone batteries cannot be placed into home general waste or recycling bins. They can cause fires during waste collection, transportation, handling and processing.

MobileMuster recycles phones and phone batteries for free. 

Batteries can also be taken to the Northern Sydney Community Recycling Centre or a Household Chemical CleanOut event.

Damaged batteries

Place leaking or damaged (but not overheated or off-gassing) batteries in a clear plastic bag and take them to a Community Recycling Centre or a Household Chemical CleanOut event for disposal.

For more information about battery recycling, visit the Australian Battery Recycler’s Initiative or read about E-waste (electronic waste) disposal on our website.

Bean bags must be placed in your red general waste bin. 

Consider repairing, selling, giving away or donating unwanted items to save them from going to landfill. Read more at our sustainable options for unwanted items page. 

Polystyrene balls should be contained in a sturdy plastic bag and and placed in the general waste bin. 

An empty bean bag can go in the general waste bin or can be collected during Council's clean-up collection.