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Recycling options

Where can I recycle these items?

There are a number of items that can be recycled just not via the co-mingled recycling bins.   

The list below contains information on how to dispose of common items that can be recycled via separate collection services at UOW and also where you can dispose of these items at home.

 

Batteries are considered hazardous waste and should be disposed of responsibly. 

To dispose of batteries from home visit Recycling Near You.

To dispose of batteries from UOW work activities:

  • Wollongong Campus - follow the hazardous waste process (visit Safe at Work for details) and deliver to the Wollongong Campus hazardous waste collection on the drop off days.
  • Innovation Campus - use the central battery collection point and these batteries will be transferred to the hazardous waste collection on your behalf. Please contact Environment Unit for advice if required.
  • Regional and other Metropolitan Campuses - please contact Environment Unit for advice.
  • Contact the Environment Unit for a battery collection bin for your work area. 

 

CD's/DVD's generated by UOW work activities are able to be recycled via UOW electronic waste collections.   This is not a confidential service.  If confidential disposal is required please contact the Environment Unit to discuss your options.

To dispose of your CD/DVD's from home contact your local council for details.

Electronic items generated from UOW work activities can be disposed via the electronic waste collections.   

Contact your local council for details on how to dispose of your personal electronic waste from home.

Fluorescent tubes, compact fluoros (CFLs), HIDs and metal halides all contain mercury which is a hazardous material.  These can not be disposed via general waste or co-mingled recycling.

Incandescent globes and halogens can also be recycled but t hey are made from low value and non-toxic materials which makes recycling them very difficult. 

Please contact Facilities Management Division regarding the replacement and disposal of globes or tubes from UOW equipment, buildings and facilities.  Facilities Management Division have a collection point for disposal of these materials to hazardous waste.

For disposal of globes from home visit Recycling Near You to find a recycling service for light globes and tubes near you.

Mobile phones can be recycled at UOW via mobile phone recycling collection points.   This is a free service and can be used to dispose of your personal and old UOW mobile phones.

You can also obtain reply paid mobile muster envelopes from Australia Post to dispose of your mobile phones for recycling.  

Important*** Ensure your data and privacy is protected by erasing your data, and removing and destroy your sim card before disposal.

Expanded Polystyrene packaging (not including takeaway food packaging) can be recycled.

Where to recycle polystyrene generated at UOW

If your UOW work area has polystyrene for disposal please contact the Environment Unit to arrange collection.

Where to recycle polystyrene generated at home

Visit Recycling Near You for information on the nearest recycling facility for polystyrene.

Print cartridges cannot be recycled in your normal recycling bin at home. As part of the University’s commitment to the environment, and to the community, as long as they are of brands supported by this recycling program you are encouraged to bring in your print cartridges in from home and place them in the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark bins on campus.  

Print cartridges can be dropped off for recycling in print cartridge collection boxes at various locations at UOW.

  • Staff accessible collection points are located in most buildings. 
  • Students can access the collection points at Wollongong campus in the Unishop or the print copy area in the library.

What print cartridges and equipment are accepted for recycling?

Print cartridge brands able to be recycled via this collection service are:

  • Brother
  • Canon
  • Epson
  • HP
  • Kyocera

 All printing related equipment that are from the brands supported by the program can be disposed in the collection boxes including:

  • All bottles, large & small
  • All cartridges: toner & inkjets
  • Bulk inkjet containers
  • Bulk plastics
  • Bulk toner/developer
  • Bulk liquid cleaning units
  • Copier parts
  • Developer units
  • Drum units
  • Fuser units 
  • Fax rolls
  • Imaging units
  • Printheads
  • Toner collection kits
  • Transfer kits
  • Waste hoppers/containers/collectors

 

Soft plastics can be recycled but require a separate collection service. 

Soft plastics collection bins at UOW

There are number soft plastic recycling bins at UOW within work areas.

Soft plastics able to be recycled at UOW must be:

  • clear (not coloured, no tint)
  • able to push your thumb through

If your work area generates large quantities of soft plastic contact the Environment Unit to arrange for it to be recycled.

Soft plastic recycling collection station

Where to dispose of soft plastics from home

A number of supermarket chains have soft plastic collection bins. These services are able to take a greater range of soft plastic materials.

Visit Recycling Near You to find a soft plastic collection service near you.

 

What about other items?

If the item isnt on the list above, please contact the Environment Unit so that we help find the most appropriate disposal option.  Disposal of waste to landfill is expensive and many items that need to be disposed can either be reused, composted or recycled.   It is important to think ahead as organising and finding appropriate disposal may take some time to coordinate.

Visit Recycling Near You and contact your local council for advice for disposing of items generated from home.