Tricky waste

Everything you need to know about waste that can not be disposed of in the household 3 bins, or with a hard waste collection. 

E-Waste (Electrical) Recycling

Did you know Australia discards almost 20kg per person per year of electrical and electronic goods and recycles only 5%?

Electrical waste (e-waste) is any item with a battery or an electrical cord. If you have an electronic product that is still usable, consider donating it to a community group, charity, friend or family member in preference to recycling 

Unplug n' Drop locations for e-waste

To help improve our recycling of electrical items, the City of Unley has joined with Electronic Recycling Australia in providing a convenient location for residents to drop off unwanted electrical items.

Unplug n' Drop Locations

Unley Works Depot, 75 King William Road, Unley. Located inside the Depot site, only available Monday 7.30am-4pm.

Alternative drop-off locations can be found on the Electronic Recycling Australia website.

Using the Unplug n' Drop cages

The FREE Unplug n’ Drop cage accepts small electronic and electrical goods that plug into a power point, use a charger or is powered by a battery.

Please place your unwanted electronic and electrical goods INSIDE the Unplug n’ Drop cage. Only small appliances are accepted. NO fridges or washing machines.

Electrical appliances are dismantled and the different components are sorted. Many of the materials, including glass, copper, plastics, metals and precious metals, are recovered for further processing and eventual use in the manufacture of new products.

Acceptable items

Small to medium sized items are acceptable, ie domestic items that plug into a power point, use a charger or are powered by battery.

  • TVs – all types
  • Computers
  • Laptops
  • Printers
  • Toasters
  • Phones
  • Batteries – please tape over terminals
  • Printer and toner cartridges
  • MP3 players
  • Microwave ovens
  • Hairdryers
  • Food processors
  • Drills
  • Watches
  • Kids toys
  • Kitchen appliances
  • Cabling
  • Gaming devices
  • Monitors
  • Computer peripherals (mice, keyboards, modems, network devices)
  • Fax machines
  • Cameras (digital and video)
  • Scanners
  • Stereo equipment
  • DVD players and DVDs
  • CDs.

Larger Items

Residents of Unley Council can also dispose of larger electrical items for free* at:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road, North Plympton. Phone (08) 8295 5077.

Including refrigerators, dryers and washing machines.

*Proof of residence is required.

Electronic Recycling Australia 

Electronic Recycling Australia can deliver not just better environmental outcomes, but better community and social outcomes too. Their successful electronic and electrical recycling operation is an initiative of Minda providing services to people living with a disability through sustainable employment and enriches their lives through greater community participation and contribution.

Household hazardous chemical waste

Some solid and liquid waste is hazardous and is not suitable for the usual collection and disposal methods.

Hazardous waste products include:

  • Garden chemicals eg pesticides, weedkillers and fertilisers Insect repellents and rat poison.
  • Cleaners eg oven cleaner, toilet cleaner, bleach, ammonia and furniture polish.
  • Automotive products eg fuel, lubricants and degreasers.
  • Home improvement products eg paints, thinners and adhesives, batteries and pool chlorine.

Please do not:

  • Place hazardous products out for garbage collection;
  • Bury them; or
  • Dispose of them in sewer or stormwater systems.

 

Free household chemicals and paint drop-off locations

Campbelltown
6 Newton Road, Campbelltown
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 8am–3pm.

Edinburgh North
Gate 3, Bellchambers Road, Edinburgh North
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 8am–4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am–3pm.

Heathfield
32 Scott Creek Road, Healthfield
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 7.30am–4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am–4pm.

North Plympton
181 Morphett Road, North Plympton.
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

The Dry Creek depot is now closed.

For queries about where to take paint and household chemicals, or more details on opening times please phone (08) 8204 2051.

For your nearest free paint drop off location, please visit the PaintBack website.

What is accepted?

Accepted items include:

  • Acids and alkalis
  • Brake fluid and coolants
  • Motor oil
  • Cleaning products
  • Fumigants
  • Liquid paints – oil and water-based up to 100 litres
  • Gas cylinders
  • Batteries
  • Pesticides, herbicides, insecticides
  • Photographic chemicals
  • Poisons
  • Pool chemicals
  • Solvents, varnishes and stains
  • Fluorescent light globes
  • Other household chemicals.

Other locations for disposal

Full-service rubbish removal

1800-GOT-JUNK
Phone 1800 468 586

Council drop-off points for City of Unley Residents

Residents of the City of Unley can drop off small quantities of engine oil, batteries, fluoros, globes and mobile phones at the Unley Works Depot, 75 King William Road, Unley. (Monday only 7.30am - 4pm). 

The Unley Civic Centre accepts small batteries and old mobile phones.

The Unley and Goodwood Libraries accept small batteries.

Drop-off points for non-collectable items

Batteries - car and truck

Free - Independent Batteries Distributors, 937 Marion Rd, Mitchell Park. Phone (08) 8296 6311. 
Free – Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre, North Plympton.

Batteries - alkaline

Free – small quantities of AA, AAA (alkaline batteries)
Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre, North Plympton.

Clothing and textiles

Glen Osmond Recycling Centre. Phone (08) 8379 9955.
Local Charity Opportunity Shops such as St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army.

e-Waste

Free - Selected Bunnings Stores. Officeworks, Keswick.
Free - Electronic Recycling Australia, Ottoway
Small fee - Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre, North Plympton, and Metro Waste, Thebarton.

Engine oil and cooking oil

Small quantities - free at Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre, North Plympton.
Fee of $3/Litre - Metro Waste, Thebarton.

Flares

It is a legal requirement in South Australia that expired marine distress flares be handed in to a police station equipped to handle marine pyrotechnics. These flares are then collected by SafeWork SA and safely destroyed. Further details are available from the SafeWork SA website.

Fluoros and globes

Free - any Mitre 10, Banner Hardware or True Value store.
Small quantities – FREE at Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre, North Plympton.
Fee of $1/fluoro tube – Metro Waste, Thebarton.

Gas bottles

Glen Osmond Recycling Centre
389 Glen Osmond Rd, Glen Osmond. Phone (08) 8379 9955

Household furniture, vegetation, metals, timber

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road, North Plympton. Phone (08) 8295 5790

Household furniture, asbestos

Metro Waste Thebarton
19-25 Murray Street, Thebarton. Phone (08) 8443 8827

Household furniture, vegetation, metals, timber

Integrated Waste Services (IWS)
Wingfield Road, Wingfield. Phone (08) 8243 2644

Household chemicals and paint

Green Industries 181 Morphett Road, North Plympton Open hours: Monday-Friday 7am-4pm, Saturday 8am-3pm, Sunday 10am-3pm

Metals

(including lead, aluminium, brass, copper, iron & ferrous)
Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre, North Plympton.
Glen Osmond Recycling Centre, 389 Glen Osmond Rd, Glen Osmond. Phone (08) 8379 9955

Metals, bottles, e-waste

Daws Road Recycling Centre
76 Daws Road, Edwardstown. Phone (08) 8277 5588

Mobile Phones

These can be recycled through MobileMuster.

Nespresso Coffee Capsule

Take your used coffee capsules to the nearest Nespresso Boutique or participating collection points, visit nespresso.com.

Oral Care Products 

Visit the TerraCycle website for nearby drop off point for oral care products like toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss packaging, etc. TerraCycle remoulds these products into other recycled products.

Paint

Unwanted paint can be disposed of for free by taking it to Cleanaway, Wingfield or Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre, North Plympton.

Alternatively, allow paint to harden (dry out), then tap out contents into the waste bin and the container (tin) placed in the yellow-lid recycling bin.

Personal Care and Beauty Packaging

L’Oreal Australia have teamed up with TerraCycle to bring second life to used beauty products through a FREE Beauty Products Recycling Program. For more information on where the nearest drop off location is in your area, visit TerraCycle.

Pharmaceuticals

All chemists will take unused or unwanted pills and medications, and some will accept and replace sharps containers.

Printer Cartridges

Participating brands can be recycled via the 'Cartridges 4 Planet Ark' recycling boxes in participating Australia Post, Officeworks, Harvey Norman, and Dick Smith Electronics stores.

Radioactive Materials

EPA Radiation Protection Branch. Phone (08)8204 2004

Scrap Hotline

Visit Scrap Hotline

Tyres

Adelaide Waste and Recycle Centre, 181 Morphett Rd, North Plympton. Phone (08) 8295 5077.

X-rays

Free - Residents can drop off their unwanted x-ray films for recycling in the specially labelled x-ray recycling bins located at Unley Community Centre, 18 Arthur St, Unley.

Back to top