A to Z guide to waste and recycling options
Find out the right way to dispose of your waste with our A to Z guide to waste and recycling.
| I want to dispose of | Put it in home bin | Other options |
| Aerosol cans (empty) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Aluminium foil | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Animal droppings / Faeces | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Asbestos | No | Contact the EPA for disposal options |
| Bag ties | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Baked goods | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Baking paper | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Band aids | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Baskets | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op shops |
| Batteries (household) | No | Supermarkets like Coles and Aldi also offer battery recycling. See the B-cycle website for drop off points. |
| Batteries (car) | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Beer bottles | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Most 150 ml to 3L beverage containers are eligible for a 10-cent refund through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme |
| Biscuit trays (these are usually classified as soft plastics) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | 12 select supermarkets in Melbourne are accepting soft plastics as part of a trial, including Aldi in St Kilda. |
| Bottles (glass) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Most 150 ml to 3L beverage containers are eligible for a 10-cent refund through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme |
| Bottles (plastic) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Most 150 ml to 3L beverage containers are recyclable through the Victorian Container Deposit scheme |
| Bottles (steel) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid). | Most 150 ml to 3L beverage containers are eligible for a 10-cent refund through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme |
| Branches | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | if it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Bricks and rubble | No | Landfill - we do not operate a landfill, but you can choose one from this list. |
| Building materials | No | Landfill - we do not operate a landfill, but you can choose one from this list. |
| Butter foils | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cake trays (plastic codes 1, 2 and 5 only) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Cans (aluminium or steel) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Most 150 ml to 3L beverage containers are eligible for a 10-cent refund through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme |
| Car batteries | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Car parts (small) | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Cardboard and paper (dry & no food items) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Cardboard/paper – laminated | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cardboard/paper – waxed | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Carpet and underlay | No | Hard/green waste collection |
| Cartridges (printer/toner) | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Carton – fresh milk, juice etc. – no foil lining, under 1L | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Small drink cartons can be recycled through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme |
| Carton – fresh milk, juice etc. – no foil lining, 1L or above | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Carton – long life milks etc. – liquid paperboard (LPB) – under 1L | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Small liquid paperboard containers can be recycled through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme |
| Carton – long life milks etc. – liquid paperboard (LPB) – 1L or above | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cassettes/VHS tapes | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cereal boxes | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Cereals and grains | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Chemicals | No | Visit Sustainability Victoria's Detox your home initiative |
| Cigarette butts | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cleaning rags | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cling wrap | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Clothing and textiles | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op shops - can donate if in good condition |
| Coat hangers | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op shops |
| Coffee Cups - paper / plastic blend (most common) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) |
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| Coffee Cups - industrially compostable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Coffee Cups - home compostable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | If classified as 'home' compostable you can place in your own compost bin, but not FOGO. |
| Coffee Cups - (lid) - plastic | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) Most coffee cup lids are made from plastic that can't be recycled by our processor, for example, polystyrene. This is why we recommended placing them in a garbage bin. | |
Coffee Cups - (lid) - industrially compostable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
Coffee Cups - (lid) - home compostable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | If classified as 'home' compostable you can place in your own compost bin but not FOGO. |
| Coffee grounds | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Coffee pods | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Concrete | No | Take it to the Tip/Landfill |
| Cooked bones | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cooking Oils and fats(absorbed in paper towel or newspaper) | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Corks | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cotton wool buds | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Crockery (broken) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Crockery (not broken) | No | Op shops |
| Cucumber in plastic wrap | Cucumber in FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) Soft plastic in Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | 12 select supermarkets in Melbourne are accepting soft plastics as part of a trial, including Aldi in St Kilda. |
| Curtains | No | Op shops |
| Cutlery (metal) | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Cutlery - plastic (disposable) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Cutlery - compostable/biodegradable or wooden (disposable) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Dairy foods | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Dead animals | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Detergent bottles (plastic) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Dog toys | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Doors | No | Resource Recovery Centre or Hard/green waste collection |
| Dryer lint | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| E-cigarette (also known as a vape) | No | Vape recycling service at St Kilda Town Hall during business hours (From February 19, 2024) |
| Egg Shells | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| E-waste/electrical waste | No | Resource Recovery Centre or Hard/green waste collection |
| Fake grass | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Feathers | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Fish and Chips paper | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Flowers | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Fluorescent tubes | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Food and garden organics | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Food containers (styrofoam) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | if plastic can go in the recycling bin with yellow lid |
| Food Scraps | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Food stickers and labels | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Fruit/veg scraps | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Furniture | No | Hard/green waste collection |
| Garden waste | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | Resource Recovery Centre or book for Hard/green waste collection. |
| Gas bottles | No | For LPG gas bottles used in BBQs, companies such as ELGAS have a 'Swap and Go' program that operates through petrol service stations. Check out the ELGAS website for more information on locations. |
| General garden clippings | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| General garden clippings | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | if it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Glad Wrap | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Glass bottles and jars without lids/caps | Mixed recycling (yellow lid)/ Communal Glass Recycling hub | Communal glass recycling hubs |
| Glossy magazines/catalogues | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Glossy writing pad | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Grains | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Grass Clippings | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Grass Clippings | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Greasy paper plates | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Greeting Cards | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Household chemicals | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Human hair and animal hair | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Jelly | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Kitty litter (all) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Lawn clippings | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Leaves | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Leftovers (food) | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Lids (plastic) - codes 1, 2 and 5 only, and larger than a credit card | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) Note: If smaller than a credit card size, place in Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Lids from drink containers or jars etc. (metal) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Light bulbs | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Liquid paperboard (LPB) containers (for drinks/other liquids) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Small liquid paperboard containers can be recycled through the Victorian Container Deposit scheme |
| Lollies | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Long life cartons | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Magazines | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Magazines/junk mail | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Manure | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Mattresses | No | Resource Recovery Centre or Hard/green waste collection |
| Meat (raw and cooked) | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Medicine glass bottles (empty, rinsed) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid)/ Communal Glass Recycling hub | Communal glass recycling hubs |
| Mesh onion bags | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Milk bottles (without the lid) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Mirrors | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Mobile phones | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Napkins, paper | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Nappies | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Needles/syringes | No | Phone ASSIST 03 9209 6777 |
| Newspaper | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Nuts and Seeds | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Oil | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Ovens | No | Resource Recovery Centre or Hard/green waste collection |
| Paint | No | Take to a Paintback drop off point |
| Paper – shredded | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Paper bags | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Paper napkins | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Paper plates (used) | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Paper towel rolls | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Paper towel | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Pasta | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Pavers | No | Take it to the Tip/Landfill |
| Pet food (wet or dry) | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Pet food tins | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Pizza boxes (dirty/soiled) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Pizza boxes (empty/clean) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Plain wrapping paper | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Plant pots | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Plastic bottles | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Most 150 ml to 3L beverage containers are recyclable through the Victorian Container Deposit scheme |
| Plastic crockery – biodegradable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Plastic crockery – industrially compostable (AS 4736, ABAX 9999) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Plastic crockery – home compostable (AS 5810, ABAX 9999) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Home compost (Not FOGO bin) |
| Plastic bags | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Plastic bags of FOGO | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Dispose of food/garden material in the FOGO bin |
| Plastic bubble wrap | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Plastic containers (code 1, 2 and 5) (empty and rinsed) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Plastic food wrappers (e.g. lolly wrappers) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | 12 select supermarkets in Melbourne are accepting soft plastics as part of a trial, including Aldi in St Kilda. |
| Plastic wrap | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Popsicle sticks | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Post it notes (sticky notes) | Individual Post It notes go into the Garbage bin (red/dark green lidded bin). For multiple notes, place these inside an envelope and then into the Mixed recycling (yellow lidded) bin. | |
| Polystyrene (all colours) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Can be disposed of at the Resource Recovery Centre where it will go to landfill. |
| Poultry | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Printed serviettes | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Prunings and cuttings | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Punnets (strawberry / fruit) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Pyrex ovenware (not broken) | No | Op shops |
| Pyrex ovenware (broken) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Real Christmas trees | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Salad, including any dressing | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Scrap metal | No | Resource Recovery Centre or book for Hard/green waste collection |
| Seafood | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Shellfish shells | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Shoes | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Shredded paper | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Small branches | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Smoke alarms | No | Resource Recovery Centre (e-waste drop off) |
| Soft drink bottles without the lid | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Soil | No | Take it to the Tip/Landfill |
| Soup sachets | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Spoiled food | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Sporting goods | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op shops |
| Steel pots | No | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Steel/aluminium (cans) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Resource Recovery Centre |
| Stereo | No | Resource Recovery Centre or hard/green waste collection |
| Sticks | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Stock cube packaging | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Stoves | No | Resource Recovery Centre or hard/green waste collection |
| Straw and hay | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Synthetic fertiliser | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Takeaway coffee cups (bottom) | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Takeaway food cartons | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Take-away containers (empty) – plastic (codes 1, 2 and 5) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Take-away containers (empty) – biodegradable plastic | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Take-away containers (empty) – industrially compostable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Take-away containers (empty) – home compostable | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Home compost bin - not FOGO bin |
| Tea leaves (loose) | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Tea bags | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Textiles | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op Shops / Specialist recyclers – Terracycle offer several textile recycling services |
| Thorny branches | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | If it doesn't fit in the FOGO bin, bundle together or bag it and dispose at the RRC or book for green waste collection. |
| Timber (small) | No | Resource Recovery Centre or book for hard/green waste collection |
| Tissues | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Toilet paper rolls (cardboard) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | |
| Toys | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op Shops / Specialist recyclers – Terracycle offer several textile recycling services |
| Tree roots | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Twin/rope | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Tyres | No | Contact commercial suppliers |
| Uncooked Bones | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Vacuum cleaner dirt | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Vape (also known as an e-cigarette) | No | Vape recycling service at St Kilda Town Hall during business hours (From February 19, 2024) |
| Vegetables | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Vinyl | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | Op shops |
| Washing machines | No | Resource Recovery Centre or Hard/green waste collection |
| Waxed packaging | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) | |
| Weeds | FOGO bin (food/garden organics - kerbside/communal) | |
| Window glass | Garbage bin (red/dark green lid) (wrap in a paper) | |
| Wine and spirit bottles (glass) | Mixed recycling (yellow lid) | Communal hubs |