ITC has put together the A to Z of recycling in Lane Cove. We have looked through all your questions and comments on recycling on our In the Cove Facebook page and ITC Lane Cove Chat and this has helped us to compile the list. If we have missed anything please let us know as we will try and update this list every couple of months. Bookmark this article and you will have a handy resource.
Please note REDcycle is no longer an option – we will update that soon – however soft Plastics can now be recycled again by signing up to recyclesmart – more details here.
Lane Cove A to Z Recycling – Table
The table below refers to Lane Cove Council requirements. Some Lane Cove North residents live in the Willoughby Council Area.
Recycle
| Item | Where to Recycle/Donate/Sell or Dispose of Correctly |
|---|---|
| Aerosol Cans | If empty in your Yellow Recycling Bin |
| Aluminium Cans | If empty in your Yellow Recycling Bin |
| Small Appliances with an Electrical Cord/charger (read this in conjunction with our notes on E-Waste) | Homecycle- check out this articlehere Community Recycle Centre Artarmon |
| Backpacks | If you live outside Lane Cove Council Area then Recycle Smart - maybe you know someone who gets a free recycle service with Recyclesmart and you can ask them to dispose of it for you |
| Balls (sports) | You can drop off your used sports balls at any participating Rebel store. Rebel has partnered with TreadLightly to provide accessible recycling points across the country. |
| Batteries (car) | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Batteries (dry cell) | Lane Cove Council accepts batteries. . Place these items in the recycling bin opposite the customer service desk at LCC You can also drop them off at the Lane Cove Toy LIbrary 47 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove Look for bins in Coles and Woolworths. Officeworks takes batteries as part of their recycling programme collection at Officeworks North Ryde and Chatswood. – details here Batteries cannot be put in household red-lidded garbage bins as they are a fire risk in the collection truck. Recyclesmart will also accept these. |
| Batteries Phone | Pop in the Mobile Muster boxes at the Lane Cove Council or Storage King Lane Cove. Batteries cannot be put in household red-lidded garbage bins as they are a fire risk in the collection truck. Recyclesmart will also accept these. |
| Beauty Products | Lane Cove Council offer beauty product recycling. Place these items in the recycling bin opposite the customer service desk. also accept these. You can also drop off to the Lane Cove Toy Library 47 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove |
| Blister Packs | Lane Cove Council has a blister pack recycling station and also you can drop off to The Sydney Library of Things Lane Cove. Open Thursday nights 6.00 to 8.00 pm |
| Bikes | Revole Recycling – Your bikes and other PTVs will be collected from your address on a “contactless” basis by authorized workers, and used to develop safe and efficient processes for a future workforce of disadvantaged and disabled people. Contact them here. Renegade Cycles – they are a collection point for Recycle Cycles . Each week a volunteer from Recycle Cycles picks up the bikes and repairs them. They are located on Burns Bay Road near IGA Express (aka Agora) Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. |
| Books | Drop them at one of the street libraries in Lane Cove. If you have chidlren's books drop them off at the street library outside the Lane Cove Toy Library The Lifeline Book Fair has several drop off points - find out more here The Gordon Drop off is 24/7 but please don't leave any book if the shed is full. The community radio station, Fine Music, run a CD and book fair twice a year at the Crows Nest Centre. You can request a pick up using their online form: https://finemusicsydney.com/bookandcdfair/ You can also drop them off at the three “op” shops in Lane Cove – see under clothes – but larger donations might need to be taken to some of the bigger op shop centres. Recyclesmart will accept 5 books per pick up but they must be able to be donated. |
| Bread Plastic Tags | Drop off to The Sydney Library of Things Lane Cove. Open Thursday nights 6.00 to 8.00 pm |
| Building Waste | Building Material and up to 5 Tyres at Ryde Transfer Station |
| Cardboard and Paper | Clean cardboard and paper in your blue recycling bin A larger amount of cardboard/paper can be taken to Cleanaway Artarmon Resource Recovery Centre in Artarmon (for free) |
| Carpet | Book a Lane Cove Household Collection Clean UP Service. Carpet must be no greater than 1.2m in length. Note the carpet is not recycled. Each house/apartment is entitled to four free clean-ups a year. Book online here |
| CD’s and CD Players | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon. (remove cases from CD’s) Officeworks takes CDs as part of their e-waste collection at Officeworks North Ryde and Chatswood. – details here For CD’s only drop them at Lindfield for Lifeline Book Fair. There is a 24/7 Drop off point at Ignatius and Ponting Roads Linfield The community radio station, Fine Music, run a CD and book fair twice a year at the Crows Nest Centre. You can request a pick up using their online form: https://finemusicsydney.com/bookandcdfair/ |
| Chemicals | Drop them off at the following Household Chemical Cleanout event - a few are organised each year Read our article here |
| Christmas Trees Live/Fresh | After Christmas each year, you can take your tree to the Lane Cove Council Depot, and they will mulch them up and use them around Lane Cove. |
| Clothing and Accessories and Handbags | Clothes can be dropped off at the following op shops in Lane Cove: St Vinnies – drop off at the back of the shop on Birdwood Lane. St Vinnies Crow’s Nest – have a bigger store and accept more goods – directions here Red Cross Shop – Longueville Road (note they have a curated collection, so they do not take children’s clothes) Life Line is now located on Burns Bay Road (opposite the Post Office – check signage on the door as to drop off) Homecycle- check out this articlehere Do not leave good at op shops when they are closed. Always do it when they are open. Drop off clothes at any H&M and Zara store (closest are Chatswood and Macquarie Centre) Give good quality clothing to Clothing Clean Up, who will collect the clothes from your house – however, this is a commercial enterprise. Clothing Clean-Up will collect for free: · All types of wearable clothing · All types of wearable shoes · Manchester (no doonas or pillows, please) · Handbags, purses & wallets · Accessories – belts, hats, scarves etc · Others reuse all items, so please ensure they are in decent condition. They don’t accept damaged, ripped/torn or stained items. Give clothes and accessories for recycling to Clothing Appeal and Family – they are a for-profit business that offers contactless pickup. They specifically state they are not a charity but do have a mission to reduce landfills. They also pick up footwear, handbags, accessories, manchester and plush toys. |
| Coat Hangers | Triple AAA Dry Cleaning Recycle Wire Coat Hangers |
| Coffee Cups | If you live outside Lane Cove Council Area then Recycle Smart - maybe you know someone who gets a free recycle service with Recyclesmart and you can ask them to dispose of it for you |
| Coffee Pods – Nescafe | Recycle at Lane Cove Council chambers (note no longer able to recycle at Pure Flowers) Recyclesmart will also accept these. |
| Computer Games | Drop them at Lindfield for Lifeline Book Fair. |
| Computers | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon Officeworks takes computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, printers, computer mouse, hard drives, cables and chargers, computer power supplies, motherboards and printed circuit boards as part of their recycling programme collection at Officeworks North Ryde and Chatswood. – details here |
| Cooking Oil | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Cookware | If you live outside Lane Cove Council Area then Recycle Smart - maybe you know someone who gets a free recycle service with Recyclesmart and you can ask them to dispose of it for you |
| Corks | Recycle at Reverse Garbage |
| Doors and Windows | Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. |
| DVD’s or DVD Player | Artarmon. For DVD player For DVD’s only drop them at Lindfield for Lifeline Book Fair. There is a 24/7 Drop off point at Ignatius and Ponting Roads Linfield. Recyclesmart will also accept these. |
| E-waste e.g., computers, TVs, small electrical appliances, white goods are not accepted. Please remove plastic covers on CDs/DVDs and any plastic or cardboard packaging | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon Homecycle will accept small amounts read more here Officeworks takes computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, printers, computer mouse, hard drives, cables and chargers, computer power supplies, motherboards and printed circuit boards as part of their recycling programme collection at Officeworks North Ryde and Chatswood. Whirl whirl |
| Egg Cartons | Blue recycling bin |
| Envelopes | Envelopes (including cellophane window envelopes) can be added to your blue recycling bin. |
| Eyewear | Eyes on Lane Cove is a drop off for glasses that are recycled for third world countries. |
| Fire Extinguishers | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Fluorescent light globes and Tubes | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Foam | polyethylene foam, latex foam, foam rubber, neoprene, EVA skins, closed-cell foam as sheets, blocks, cut-outs, and stencils – Reverse Garbage |
| Food Waste | It can be recycled in a compost bin or worm farm (please note Lane Cove Council no longer offers a worm farm rebate). You can also donate your food scraps to others who have a compost bin and have registered or Sharewaste.com - read our article here on sharewaste |
| Freezers | Lane Cove Council Household clean up – book online here |
| Fridges | If it’s not in working order can be disposed of via household clean up – book online here (goes to landfill) |
| Furniture | Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. Can be disposed of via household clean up (but goes to landfill) – book online here. |
| Gardening Waste | It goes into your green lid bin |
| Gas Bottles | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Green Bags (polypropylene bags) | They can be put in the share bag bins in the foyer of Lane Cove Market Square, outside Coles Lane Cove or IGA Greenwich – shoppers can use them when they forget their bags. |
| Hardware and Tools | Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. |
| Kitchenware | Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. here. |
| Mattresses | Mattresses can be recycled, turning their parts into useable products. Contact the Lane Cove Council waste solutions hotline to organise 1300 655 006. Ecosa Mattresses offer a recycling programme – they will pick up from your house. You pay $80, and they will give you an $80 voucher to spend on their beds – click here for a good article on how it works. |
| Medicines | They will NOT be recycled but will be disposed of properly if taken to any local chemist. More details here Recycle Smart takes medication blister packs Recycle Smart - check out this article here |
| Microwave | Can be recycled via Community Recycling Centre but only if they have room at the facility |
| Mirrors | Small broken mirrors should be wrapped securely and placed in your red bin. For larger mirrors, Cleanaway Artarmon Resource Recovery Centre in Artarmon (fees apply). |
| Mobile Phones | Homecycle - Officeworks will recycle as part of their recycling programme collection at Officeworks North Ryde and Chatswood. – details here Recyclesmart will also accept these.read more here |
| Motor Oil | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Newspapers/Paper | Blue recycling bin |
| Paint (oil and water-based) | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Pallets | Accepted at Cleanaway Artarmon Resource Recovery Centre in Artarmon |
| Pens and Marker Recycling | Officeworks will recycle as part of their recycling programme collection at Officeworks North Ryde and Chatswood. – details here |
| Phone Book | Blue Recycling Bin. Even better, take action to cancel a phone book by registering your address at this site. |
| Pizza Box | Clean Pizza Box – Blue Bin Dirty and Greasy Pizza Box – Red Bin |
| Plastic Bottles and Containers | Yellow Recycling Bin Can be taken to return and earn depot or machine in Little Street Carpark (but it takes time to feed the machine) It is quicker to use the return and earn depot at Lane Cove West (they will also pick up from your house if you order a bin from them). Details here |
| Plumbing Hardware | Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. |
| Polystyrene | Recycle Smart now takes Polystyrene. If you live outside Lane Cove Council Area then Recycle Smart - maybe you know someone who gets a free recycle service with Recyclesmart and you can ask them to dispose of it for you |
| Postage Stamps Collection | Donate to Lifeline |
| Printer Cartridges | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon note they only take the following brands Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Lexmark, Roland, Samsung, Sharp, ToshibaDrop off your used or empty laser and inkjet cartridges at all Officeworks and participating Australia Post, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, JB Hi-Fi, Office National and Office Products Depot outlets. Inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges and toner bottles are accepted. This includes cartridges used in printers, photocopiers and fax machines. (Please note, some recycling boxes may not be visible or on display due to limited store floor space, in these cases, please ask the staff at the counter and hand cartridge directly to them.) |
| Sheets, Quilt Covers and Towels | Return any of your pre-loved quilt covers, sheets and towels to any Sheridan store. Please wash items prior. There is a Sheridan Store in Chatswood but if you have a large amount to return then best to go to Sheridan at Birkenhead Point - more info here. |
| School Uniforms, Text Books and Musical Instruments | Sell via the Sustainable Schools Site |
| Shoes | Can recycle at Rebel Sports Including sports shoes, heels and more. You can also put in your Recycle Smart Collection - "https://inthecove.com.au/2023/02/19/lane-cove-residents-can-recycle-from-home-with-recyclesmart-2/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> |
| Smoke Detectors | Community Recycling Centre Artarmon |
| Socks and Other Textiles | Upparel can recycle socks and many other textiles that are then either given to their charity partners or used to make material that is used in insulation and other industrial uses. This is a for-profit business with a social ethos. The cost is $25.00 a pick up however you get a voucher on your first pick up to use as store credit to buy socks. More information is below. |
| Sofas | The Generous and the Grateful They are working to ensure all people being assisted into housing can access the bulky essentials that make it a home, enabling them to thrive. You must arrange delivery to their warehouse. Can be disposed of via household clean up (but goes to landfill) – book online here. |
| Soft Plastic | Homecycle - read more here |
| Television | Community Recycling Centre |
| Textbooks | Sell via the Sustainable Schools Site or donate to Lifeline |
| Timber | Donate to the Bower, and they will pick up for free. |
| Toothbrushes | Lane Cove Council offer beauty product recycling. Place these items in the recycling bin opposite the customer service desk. |
| Toys | Lane Cove Toy Library but you must fill out this form first Donation Form You can now drop off toys (including those plush toys that seem to multiply) at Big W Macquarie Toys for Joy programme Accepted: · All brands of plastic toys · All brands of metal toys · All brands of electronic toys with batteries removed · All brands of plush toys Not Accepted: · Books · Board games · Wooden toys · Play-doh, paint and slime · Pens, pencils, crayons, or paint brushes · Oversized toys such as bikes, scooters, skateboards or sports toys such as soccer goals more info here You can also give plush toys for recycling to Clothing Appeal and Family – they are a for-profit business that offers contactless pickup. They specifically state they are not a charity but do have a mission to reduce landfills. They also pick up clothes, footwear, handbags, accessories, and manchester. Recyclesmart will also accept these. |
| Washing Machines | If it is not in working order can be disposed of via household clean up – book online or donate to the Bower, and they will pick it up for free. |
Recycle Smart
Recycle Smart is a free service to Lane Cove, Hunters Hill and Willoughby Council Residents. You can book a free service where they will pick up two bags for free each month. They pick up a huge variety of items including
Textiles
Clothing, unwearable textiles etc.
Gloves
Hats
Jackets, jumpers etc.
Jeans
Shirts, pants etc.
Shoes
Sneakers
Towels & other textiles
Non-reusable condition:
Clothes
Linen
They do not collect pillows and doonas.
They do not collect ANY socks, underwear or swimwear.
E-waste
Small items that use electricity
Alarm clock
Angle grinder
Blender and mixer
Charger cord
Computer parts – mouse, keyboard etc.
Digital cameras
Disposable Vapes (battery only)
Electrical cable
Electric games, consoles and toys
Electric grill
Electric toothbrush
Hairdryer
Headphones and earphones
Iron
Kettle
Laptop
Mobile phones, mp3 players
DVD player
Smart watch
Small stereos, speakers, radios
Small toaster
Torches
Video and DVD player
Waffle maker
Wifi modem
Misfits
Other household items
Aluminium Coffee Capsules (click here for instructions)
Batteries
Blister packs
(Blister packs not available in Campbelltown, City of Sydney, City of West Torrens or Sutherland Shire)
Books in sellable condition to be donated to OpShops – books must be in English, have all pages and no handwritten notes. Maximum 5 books per pickup. (click here for more info)
Cosmetic, hair care or skin care packaging – we collect any brand, just make sure it’s almost empty or empty!
NB: They do NOT collect shaving foam cans, perfume bottles, nail polish bottles and nail polish remover bottles
DVDs and CDs in sellable condition WITH covers to be donated OR unsellable condition WITHOUT covers
Lightbulbs
Medicine
Printer cartridges
Sealed paint maximum 2L
Smoke detectors/Alarms
X-ray films
Takeaway Coffee Cups (click here for instructions)
Toys in sellable condition
Lane Cove Return and Earn Depot – Lane Cove West
Lane Cove Return and Earn is a partner of the return and earn initiative. They provide an easy return and earn experience for you and your family.
Drop Off
Just drop off your eligible containers to 67 Mars Road Lane Cove West.
An account is NOT needed if you are making deliveries to their site in person.
Residential Return and Earn Collection
The following services are provided:
- Regular Bin Service (with bin provided by Lane Cove Return and Earn)
- Regular and Non-Regular Bag Collection Services
One-off Collections from Your Residence
You bag up your cans in a bag provided by your household and it is collected by Lane Cove Return and Earn.
THE BOWER Reuse & Repair Centre (Marrickville, New South Wales)
The Bower is an environmental not-for-profit committed to reducing landfill.
Their range of services and programs are all based on the ethos of reuse and repair – this is the principle that guides everything they do.
The Bower has agreements with over 20 Sydney metropolitan councils to collect unwanted household goods and rehome them including Lane Cove Council.
Acceptable Donations List
Below is listed all the types of items the Bower accepts as donations.
- Electronic Appliances
- Furniture
- Kitchenware
- Books & Music
- Doors & Windows
- Gardening
- Hardware & Tools
- Timber
- Building Supplies
- Plumbing Supplies
- Bric-a-Brac
- Sports & Leisure
- Bikes & Bike Parts
- Tiles & Pavers (Boxed)
- Clothing
- Whitegoods
Items they Cannot Accept
Unfortunately, there are a few categories of items the Bower cannot accept, due to their construction, reusability, or safety requirements.
- Entertainment Units (Large)
- Chipboard & MDF
- Linen & Soft Furnishings
- Gas Appliances
- Mattresses & Sofabeds
- Baby & Children’s products
- Column Heaters & Plastic Fans
- Office Furniture
The Generous and the Grateful (GG)
The Generous and the Grateful are currently moving and are not accepting donations at the moment.
When they reopen they accept the following items:
-
Fridge/Freezers (under 10 years old in excellent working condition)
-
Washing Machines (under 10 years old in excellent working condition)
-
Dining Tables (up to 6 seater)
-
Chest of Drawers
-
Wardrobes (not too large or heavy)
-
Microwaves
-
TVs (including all cables and remote)
-
TV Units (low units only, not too large or bulky)
GG cannot pick up items. GG instead focus their limited funding on covering the cost of delivering your beautiful items to their deserving recipients. When you help get your items to GG, either by dropping them to their warehouse or booking your own transporter for pick up, you are helping us in a big way, so they can focus our time and funds to getting the big, heavy key items, that every home needs, to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. GG thanks you for helping towards getting your items to us and as a result, helping us deliver kindness and dignity to so many who really need it.
-
Drop the item(s) to their warehouse in Macquarie Park on Tuesday 6:45pm–8:00pm; Wednesday 10:00am–2:00pm; Saturday 10am–12:00pm. (FREE).
-
Directly Book and pay a trusted, affordable transport contractor to pick it up on a day that suits you. (Flexible but more costly option)
General Tips
Broken Items – Don’t throw it out get it fixed for free at the Repair Café in Lane Cove (open the first two Sundays of the month in the afternoon – details here)
Unwanted Items – See if someone else wants your unwanted items by joining the Lower North Shore Free Stuff and Low Waste Facebook Group
Circular Economy
If you love this idea but are downsizing or have no space in your garage or apartment, why not donate an item to The Sydney Library of Things? This is a library where members can borrow everyday household items. Find out more here.
If you like the circular economy, you might want to look at The Edit hey are located in The Village Shopping Centre in Lane Cove (near Soulful Fitness), and you can sell on consignment designer and vintage items or grab some lovely clothes.
Are you Recycling Correctly?
According to Recycle Smart a recent survey revealed that 99% of residents are still unsure how to recycle some household items. Recycle Smart has released an app to help you choose the right items to recycle. You can find out more here.
Help Support Local and Independent News
You can support us in three ways:
- Become an ITC reader sponsor – Feel free to be a reader sponsor if you have enjoyed our local news coverage and would like to be an ITC reader sponsor. You can sponsor us with a monthly sponsorship fee. We have reader sponsors who sponsor us for $5.00 a month and some who sponsor us for $100 a year – no amount is too small or too big. Thank you so much to the people who have already supported us via our press Patreon account. Help Us Here.
- Buy the ITC team a coffee – We now have a team, and they need to be paid – buy the ITC team a coffee (or two) and that will help us pay their wages and shout then a coffee Buy a Coffee here.
- Do you own a Lane Cove Business or a Lane Cove resident who owns a business, you can advertise with ITC – our packages start from a $30 monthly fee (for a 12-month commitment). Email us here for our rates card.
