A-Z Guide

Empty aerosol cans (including fly spray and deodorant) can simply be placed in the recycling bin. 

Recycling Aluminium Cans saves 95% of the energy it would take to make a can from scratch using bauxite. Ensure your aluminium cans are always placed in the yellow recycling bin to prevent us from losing this valuable resource to landfill. 

Soiled aluminium can not be recycled and must be placed in your red lidded garbage bin. Note: Clean aluminium can be recycled in your yellow lidded bin. 

Community Recycling Centres (CRC’s) in Grafton and Maclean accept household batteries for reprocessing.  Did you know?:  All batteries contain dangerous metals and chemicals. If sent to landfill these can leak and contaminate soil and groundwater. Dropping off batteries to a specialised battery collection point ensures these metals are recovered and cannot cause environmental damage. Tape Your Terminals If battery terminals touch, they can spark and create a fire hazard. To prevent this, tape the terminals of used batteries for storage and drop off. Use non-conductive tape, like duct tape, clear sticky tape or electrical tape. For more information on other recycling points visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au 

Community Recycling Centres (CRC’s) in Grafton and Maclean accept vehicle batteries for reprocessing.  For more information on these drop off points visit our facilities page in this app. All batteries contain dangerous metals and chemicals. If sent to landfill these can leak and contaminate soil and groundwater. 

Working bicycles can be donated to a local charity or advertised on facebook site Clarence Valley Waste Not Want Not. Bicycle pieces are accepted as scrap steel at our waste transfer stations in Grafton and Maclean.   For more information on these drop off points visit the facilities page, which can be found by touching the "More Information" button on the bottom right side of this app. 

Non damaged books can be donated to your local library or charity for reuse. Damaged books can be placed into your yellow lidded recycling bin. 

Bubble wrap should be reused if possible as it can not be recycled and will be deposited in landfill once placed into the red lidded waste bin.

Building materials can often be reused so it is important to take them to Grafton Regional Landfil.   Don’t forget websites like Clarence Valley Waste Not.   For more information on certain materials or to look for other drop off points visit: http://businessrecycling.com.au/   

Cling wrap cannot be recycled and should be placed into your red lidded waste bin. 

Clothing and textiles can take a lot of effort and resources to create so sending them to landfill means losing valuable resources. If clothing is still in good condition consider donating to a local charity, swapping with friends or even selling online.   If clothing is not in good condition, consider other uses like car washing and cleaning rags or weaving projects. As a last resort it can be placed into your red lidded landfill bin. 

Sadly, takeaway coffee cups and their lids must be placed in the red bin. The composite nature (ie. the plastic lining and the cardboard) make the cups unable to be recycled. Even the compostable cups and lids need to go in the red bin (the good news is these will degrade in landfill over time.) Time to get yourself a reusable cup.... or better still, enjoy your cuppa in house!   

Some coffee pods are compostable in your home composting system, however most are not and, unless deconstructed, need to be disposed of in the red bin.  Nespresso coffee pods can be recycled through the Terracycle program. See Nespresso or Australia Post.

Simply place into your yellow bin or green bin if soiled.

E-waste materials can be dropped off at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station Did you know?: Computers and accessories (known as E-waste)are a growing problem in Australia. Computers contain a variety of different components, many of which are toxic and can cause environmental damage if sent to landfill. They also contain valuable resources such as gold. By dropping them off at a local transfer station you can ensure these resources are being recovered and not causing environmental damage.

Glasses are an expensive product and while a pair may no longer be suitable for your eyes that doesn't mean that someone else won't find them useful.  Chat to your local optometrist to see if they collect old glasses to send them overseas to people in need. Or pop them into one of the network of Community Recycling Centres, or your local library.

Take to Community Recycling Centres in Maclean or Grafton.  Please see address and opening times for these facilities under the "More" button on this app.   

Flowers, sticks and branches can be placed into your organics bin for recovery. This includes dead flowers from your vase and garden.

Fluorescents can be can be dropped off at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station Did you know?:  Fluorescent light globes contain mercury which can be dangerous if put into landfill. 

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) cannot be recycled at the kerbside.   Put it in your red bin. 

Many Clarence residents have a green lidded organics bin for all food and garden waste. Alternatives are to compost or place it into a worm farm. If you do not have either of these, you can place your food waste into your red lidded garbage bin.   Did you know?: Australia produces 4.45 million tonnes of food waste every year. That’s almost 1000 kgs per household which is almost equal to a quarter of the food we buy. When food is thrown into landfill it breaks down and generates methane, a dangerous climate change gas. For more information on food waste as well as how to avoid it, storage and shopping tips plus some fantastic recipes visit: http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/

All parts of your fruit and vegetables can be placed into your organics bin for recovery.

Furniture in good condition can be donated to charity or advertised on Clarence Valley Buy, Swap, Sell or Clarence Valley Waste Not Want Not.   Furniture in poor condition can be dropped off at our network of waste transfer stations or the Grafton Regional Landfill.

Garden organics can be placed in your green lidded organic waste bin, which is emptied weekly.  Grass clippings and leaves make ideal compost for the garden keeping it moist through the summer, so if you don’t have a green bin, consider making some compost.

Gas bottles may be left at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station * Iluka Waste Transfer Station * Glenreagh Waste Transfer Station * Copmanhurst Waste Transfer Station

Hypodermic needles Hypodermic needles can be dangerous for staff handling waste, so please never place needles in your recycling bins. If you have a medical condition that requires their use please ensure you return your used sharps to the place of purchase to dispose of them correctly. Safe and convenient options You can now take your sharps to participating pharmacies and designated health sites for disposal.   Community sharps are needles, syringes and lancets used outside the normal clinical setting of hospitals and doctor's surgeries. Sharps must be packaged in a strong, sealed container, such as a plastic milk or soft drink container, before taking them for disposal Sharps are not recyclable and therefore must never be placed in recycling bins   Want to know where to dispose of your sharps safely?  Locally If you use sharps at home for self-medication you can now dispose of your sharps at the following places: * Friendly Society Pharmacy, 18 Prince Street, Grafton * Ada & Flynn Pharmacy, 64 Prince Street, Grafton * Pollocks Chemworld Chemist, 44A Prince Street, Grafton * Dawson’s Chemist, 53 Prince Street, Grafton * Nightingale’s Pharmacy, Grafton Shoppingworld * Guardian Southside Pharmacy, 4/94 Bent Street, South Grafton * Grafton Base Hospital, Arthur Street, Grafton * Grafton Community Health Centre, Arthur Street, Grafton * Stanfords Pharmacy, 253 River Street, Maclean * Iluka Pharmacy, 6 Young Street, Iluka * Maclean District Hospital, 21 Union Street, Maclean Nationally www.safesharps.org.au Special assistance with medical waste If you or a member of your family has a long term medical condition that produces medical waste that creates an unhygienic environment, JR Richards may be able to offer a weekly red bin collection at no extra charge. This is a community service provided by waste contractor JR Richards for disadvantaged members of our community. Please write a brief letter to the General Manager, Clarence Valley Council Locked Bag 23 Grafton outlining the medical condition and include your address and telephone number. You will be advised by Council once your application has been assessed.  

Ice Cream Containers and lids (plastic or liquid paperboard).  Place in your yellow bins.

After any plastic wrapping has been removed, junk mail can be placed into your yellow lidded recycling bin. 

Can be deposited for recycling in the Planet Ark recycling boxes at the following outlets   Tandy Electronics 119 Pound Street GRAFTON 2460 Ph: 6642 4205   Australia Post 53 Victoria Street GRAFTON 2460 Ph: 6641 4991   Australia Post 27 Yamba Street YAMBA 2464 Ph: 6603 1990   Harvey Norman 125 Prince Street GRAFTON 2460 Ph: 6643 3266   Harvey Norman 211 River Road MACLEAN 2463 Ph: 6645 2611   Leading Edge Computers 41 Prince Street GRAFTON 2460 Ph: 6643 5000

All of your leftover meals can be placed into your organics bin for recovery. This includes, but is not limited to the following items: * Meat * Dairy * Fruit * Vegetables * Bread * Pasta * Rice 

All plastic meat trays contain a composite lining which cannot be separated. Please place in your red lidded landfill bin.   Foam meat trays cannot be recycled and should also be placed into your red lidded garbage bin.

Over 90% of the materials used in a mobile phone can be recycled, avoiding future greenhouse gas emissions, saving energy, protecting our environment and conserving scarce natural resources. While mobile phones cannot be recycled through the yellow lidded bin they can be delivered to the following facilities to be recycled:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station * Council offices in Maclean and Grafton For more information on mobile phone recycling you can also visit http://www.mobilemuster.com.au/ Other places to take mobile phones: Telstra Shop 82 Prince Street Grafton 2460 Ph: 6642 8488   Optus Network Communications 92 Prince Street Grafton 2460 Ph: 6642 3002   Optus Network Communications 23 Coldstream Street YAMBA 2464 Ph: 6646 9339   Northern Rivers Communications 88 Victoria Street GRAFTON 2460 Ph: 6642 7287

Oils can be recycled. Up to 20 litres can be dropped off at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station * Glenreagh Waste Transfer Station * Iluka Waste Transfer Station Quantities of cooking oils are collected from premises within the Clarence Valley Council area by: Associated Oils 31 Whimbrel Street FISHERMAN'S ISLAND 4178 Ph: 07 3895 2444

Oils can be recycled. Up to 20 litres can be dropped off at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station * Glenreagh Waste Transfer Station * Iluka Waste Transfer Station Waste Motor Oil (commercial / bulk quantities only) Campbell Wrecking & Towing Old Glen Innes Road SOUTH GRAFTON NSW 2460

Paint can be stored for up to ten years. Keeping touch-up paint available will help you maintain your building without having to completely repaint.   If you still have large amounts of paint, consider donating it to a community organisation that can use it, including the Grafton Men’s shed.   Alternatively, paint and paint tins can be dropped off at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station Household quantities (up to 4lt) clean plastic and steel paint cans can be recycled in your yellow bin. Click on the links below for programs and organisations that accept unwanted paint and paint cans in this area:   Planet Ark www.recyclingnearyou.com.au   CanSmart www.cansmart.org 

Should be placed in the RED bin.

Old phone books can be recycled by being placed into your yellow lidded recycling bin. 

Empty pizza boxes, containing little or no food scraps, can be recycled in your yellow lidded bin.   Soiled pizza boxes containing food scraps must now be disposed of in your red landfill bin.  (*If the lid to your soiled pizza box is clean however, you can separate it from the base and recycle it in your yellow bin!)

Plastic bags can be used to wrap items in the red bin.  Plastic bags must not go into the green or yellow bin.   Did you know?: Only 3% of the 3.9 billion plastic bags used annually in Australia are recycled. While plastics bags can not be recycled through the kerbside collection system, recycling facilities are available at some local supermarkets and retail outlets.  There is currently (2023) a pause on returning your plastic bags to stores, but it is anticipated this program will return in 2024.

Clean, rigid plastic take away containers can be recycled by being placed into your yellow lidded recycling bin.  Soiled cardboard containers will be recycled if you use your green lidded organics bin.   Foam take away containers cannot be recycled and must be placed into your red lidded garbage bin.

Televisions are e-waste and can be dropped off for recycling at the following locations :   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station

Whitegoods can contain significant amounts of metals, insulating materials, refrigerants and other substances. These items are best dropped off at your local transfer station to ensure they are handled correctly and recycled into new products (see list of facilities below).  Whitegoods, including fridges, washing machines and microwaves can be left out for collection in our annual kerbside cleanup during May-June. For more information about bulky waste including what items are suitable for collection or the dates of our next clean up visit the ‘More Information’ section of the app.    Alternatively whitegoods can be dropped off at the following facilities: * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station

Cannot be recycled and must be safely placed into your red lidded bin or dropped off at the following facilities:   * Grafton Regional Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre * Grafton Waste Transfer Station * Maclean Waste Transfer Station

X-Ray film can be recycled. Small amounts of silver are separated from the plastic in the recycling process. You can recycle your old film in the special xray bin at the Grafton Regional Landfill in South Grafton; or by dropping them into the Community Recycling Station (currently located in the Raymond Laurie Sports Centre, Yamba.) Check with your hospital and/or X-ray centre to see if they will take your old xrays for recycling.