Recycling

What can be recycled in Noosa?

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Before placing items in your yellow-lidded recycling bin, remember to:

  • Quick Rinse: Give glass, plastic, or metal containers a quick rinse.
  • Go Lidless: Dispose of lids in the general waste bin.
  • Stay Labelled: Labels can remain on containers.
  • Size Matters: Only recycle items larger than a single-serve yogurt tub and smaller than a 5L bucket.
  • Keep It Loose: Do not bag or box recyclables.
  • Be a Change Maker: Containers with the 10c symbol can be redeemed at the Reverse Vending Machine at the Noosa Resource Recovery Centre.
  • Check It: Recycling guidelines vary download the A -Z Recycling Guide to check what goes in which bin.

What can go in recycling

If in doubt, please refer to Council’s interactive local recycling tool or download the  A -Z Recycling Guide.

 Alternatively, contact Council for more assistance with recycling in Noosa.

Recycling symbols explained

Not everything that has the recycling looking symbol (triangle featuring three arrows circulating) can go in your recycle bin. Council recommends referring to the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) to help you recycle.

ARL symbols

Many items can be taken to the Noosa Resource Recovery Centres for free including:

  • E-waste. Any item with a plug or battery e.g. TVs, electrical appliances, computers, laptops, tablets, printers, computer equipment and parts, cords, cables, CDs, DVDs
  • Paint
  • White goods (certified degassed fridges, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers)
  • Motor oil (currently not accepted at Pomona Transfer Station until further notice)
  • Batteries (domestic)
  • Lead-acid batteries (eg car batteries)
  • Scrap metals
  • Comingled recycling
  • Cardboard/paper
  • Chemicals (domestic)
  • Polystyrene (domestic)
  • Gas bottles (empty)

Drop off for free

Large Recycling Bin 

Council provides a 240L standard recycling bin, collected fortnightly. If you need a larger bin, you can upsize to a 360L recycling bin by submitting an Online Waste Request.

Education

Council offers free educational programs on recycling and waste disposal to community groups and schools. Community groups can contact Council for more information, while schools can book an in-class presentation or Noosa landfill tour through the Schools Education Hub.

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Recycling is a great way to keep materials in circulation but before recycling, remember to think about

Refusing – Do I really need this item?

Reducing – Can I minimise my use or buy in bulk to reduce packaging?

Reusing – Can I find another use for this item?

Reuse

 

Frequently asked questions

  • See Councils Recycling Guide or download the free Recycle Mate App on Google play or the App store

    Visy’s Recycling Education Video

  • Visit Plastic Free Noosa to find out what it's all about.

  • Visit our Composting and Worm Farms page.

  • The contents of your yellow-lid recycling bin are collected by our contractor, Cleanaway, and transported to The Materials Recovery Facility or MRF at Nambour.

    The MRF (pronounced ‘murf’) receives the co-mingled recyclables. Items are sorted and separated into material types using mechanical and manual processes.

    The sorted recyclables – paper and cardboard, steel cans, aluminium cans, glass and firm plastics are then transported from the MRF by Visy to be sold into markets for recyclables. They are then reprocessed into new products.

  • The following items can be disposed at various locations free of charge:

     

    Coffee pods – Drop off at selected florists, search on the Terracycle website for your nearest location 

    Beauty Products Recycling Program - L'Oréal and Garnier have teamed up with TerraCycle website to provide a second life for used personal care and beauty packaging through the free Beauty Products Recycling Program.

    Oral Care Recycling Program - TerraCycle and Colgate have partnered to create a free recycling program for oral care product packaging, search on the TerraCycle website

    Household batteries – All Noosa Council landfill sites, L3 Noosa Council, Cooroy Library, The Noosa Library, The J, The Noosa Leisure Centre

    Mobile phones, batteries, chargers and accessories – All Noosa Council landfill sites,  Mobile Muster provide drop off points in the Noosa area or you can mail your phone to them (free postage). Visit the Mobile Muster website for instructions or to search for your closest drop off point.

    • Reviva Shop - At the Noosa landfill, drop off good quality unwanted items or shop and purchase a bargain!
    • Teracycle - offers a variety of programs through which you may recycle Free Recycling Programs
    • Freecycle - people giving and receiving products for free
    • Garage Sale Trail – annual coordinated garage sales
    • Facebook marketplace - an online marketplace
    • TuShare - give and get great stuff for free
    • Spare Harvest – share or swap what people have spare in their gardens or farms
    • Oz Harvest - connects local food businesses with local charities for the benefit of people in need
    • Plastic Free Noosa – find out how you can reduce plastic in your life or business
    • View the Recycling Guide or use council’s RecycleSmart App.

Environment & Waste