Sustainability at AM Click to enlarge image
A variety of measure are taken at the AM to ensure sustainable and ethical consideration of the environment informs day-to-day operations. From soft plastic recycling, to composting kitchen waste and coffee grinds to separating packaging material from the AM store merchandise for recycling. Image: Abram Powell
© Australian Museum

Yes

  • Aluminium and steel tins and cans

    Aluminium and steel cans and tins can be placed in your yellow recycling bin. Check with your local council if they also accept empty aerosol cans, as most will collect them for recycling.

    A great way to recycle and earn is the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) where you can reclaim a 10-cent refund for every eligible beverage container taken to a collection depot or reverse vending machine. All states including NSW, SA, QLD, ACT, WA and NT already have schemes in place with TAS and VIC planning to implement theirs in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

  • Paper

    Newspapers, magazines and envelopes can be placed in your yellow recycling bin but ensure any plastic wrapping is removed beforehand.

  • Cardboard

    Before going into your recycling bin, cardboard boxes should be flattened and dry.

    Not all local councils take pizza boxes in their kerbside recycling bins, so always check first. If they are accepted, make sure to remove any food scraps before recycling.

  • Glass bottles and jars

    Before recycling, separate the lids from glass jars and ensure the container is clean. Broken glass and mirrors should be disposed of in the garbage bin.

  • Hard plastic

    Hard plastic containers such as milk, juice, shampoo, and laundry liquid bottles can be recycled in your yellow lid bin.

    Make sure to remove the plastic tops as most local councils require them to be separated and thrown into the waste bin.

  • Soft plastics

    Although soft plastics such as plastic bags, bread bags, confectionary packets and pasta bags can't be placed into your kerbside recycling bin, you can still recycle them through REDcycle.

    There are participating supermarkets all around Australia. Find your nearest collection point here.

  • Aluminium foil

    Aluminium foil can be scrunched up into a small ball while foil trays can be placed into the recycling bin loose.

  • E-waste

    Electrical appliances including TVs, computers, mobile phones and printer cartridges can be recycled.

    TechCollect, Drop Zone, and eCycle Solutions and Electronic Product Stewardship Australasia (EPSA) have been approved to deliver recycling services under the National recycling scheme for televisions and computers free of charge.

    You can recycle your mobile phone via MobileMuster which has 3,500 drop off points across Australia as well as a free post back option.

    Lazer and inject printer cartridges can be dropped off for recycling at all Officeworks stores.

    Batteries should never be disposed of in your recycling or waste bin. Put them aside and drop them off at your local Aldi supermarket, Battery World or Officeworks.


No

  • Sharps and syringes

    Needles and syringes cannot be recycled and must be placed in a special sharps bin and disposed of at a community sharps disposal facility or public hospital. Visit Safe Sharps for the location of safe disposal facilities in your area.

  • Nappies

    Used nappies belong in your garbage bin and never in the recycling. They pose a health risk and waste in the nappies also contaminate the paper recycling stream.

  • Household chemicals and hazardous materials

    Household chemicals and hazardous materials like paints, solvents, pesticides, automotive products and gas canisters should never be placed in your waste or recycling bins.

    Check with your local council to see if you can drop them off at a listed depot or if they offer a chemical clean up day.


For more information on what you can and can't recycle and a directory of recycling collection and drop-off locations, visit RecyclingNearYou.