Recycling units for difficult-to-recycle items

Recycle Centre

Stumped if you know how to get rid of batteries or light globes? What about that old mobile phone or scratched CD?

Specified small items not included in your fortnightly recycling collection can be dropped off at the City of Hobart's recycling unit situated at the Hobart Council Centre, 16 Elizabeth Street.

Items suitable for drop-off

  • Toothbrushes and toothpaste
  • Light globes (small and large)
  • Batteries
  • Mobile phones
  • Small e-waste items
  • X-rays
  • Pens, markers and highlighters
  • Contact lenses and cases
  • Toner cartridges
  • DVDs, CDs and cassette/VHS tapes
  • Bread bag tags

Please note: only domestic quantities of items can be accepted at this unit. Recyclables left on the floor may be binned. If you are collecting on behalf of your workplace, school or community group, consider establishing your own collection point, it's easy, contact us for help to get you started: coh@hobartcity.com.au

Other recycling units

Other publicly accessible recycling units can be found at:

  • TasTAFE Campbell St Campus
  • Sustainability Learning Centre Mt Nelson
  • University of Tasmania - various locations

How your items are used after recycling

The items you bring can be recycled into raw materials to make new products. Some of the uses they will be put to include plastic products, asphalt, roofing, car parts, insulation and fertiliser. Check the table below to see how your items are used after they being recycled.

Recycled item Product components Outputs or end-use
Mobile phones Plastics, Circuits, Batteries Plastics down-cycled into products like shipping pallets, precious metals recovered (gold, silver, copper, lead) for remanufacture
Fluorescent tubes Mercury, aluminium, glass, phosphorous powder Metals recycled, glass recycled into glass wool for insulation, manufacture of dental amalgam (silver fillings), and phosphorous powder used to make fertilizer products
Batteries (AAA, AA, C and D only) Metals, Plastics, chemicals Plastic and metals recovered for reprocessing, chemicals used in glass & textile manufacture
X-rays Plastic, steel, precious metals, glass Silver recovered for re-manufacture, plastic recovered for reprocessing
Toothpaste tubes and brushes (all brands) Mixed plastics Plastics down-cycled into products like garden pots and park benches
Small e-waste (USBs, web-cameras, computer cables, tablets, notebooks, computer accessories) Plastic, steel, precious metals, glass Plastics recovered for use in laserlite roofing, machine casings, Lego, car components. Metals and glass recovered for remanufacture
Media (DVDs, CDs, tapes) Mixed plastics Plastics down-cycled into products like garden pots and park benches
Pens, markers and highlighters Mixed plastics Plastics down-cycled into products like garden pots and park benches
Ink and toner cartridges Toner, metals, plastics Toner recycled into 'TonerPave' (an asphalt mix), metals & plastics recovered for remanufacture into new cartridges, stationery. Inks recovered for printing

More recycling information

Check your items in the City's A to Z waste guide to see what products and components are accepted by the recycling centre.

A to Z waste guide

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