Small Item Recycling Points

Do you have items to recycle that can’t go in your recycling bin? The Hills Shire Council offers multiple drop-off recycling points for small hard-to-recycle items including batteries, small e-waste, x-ray films, and more! Help us keep valuable materials of out landfill.

See below for what you can recycle and where.   

Recycling Wall Hub

What is the Recycling Wall Hub?

Hills Shire residents can drop off hard-to-recycle items through the Recycling Wall Hub, located in the Concierge area of the Council’s Administration Building at 3 Columbia Court, Norwest.

 

Location

Address

Opening Hours

Phone

The Hills Shire Council Administration Building

3 Columbia Court, Norwest

Monday – Friday 8am – 4:30pm

02 9843 0555

 

The hub created by Source Separation Systems is designed to support the efficient separation and collection of recyclable materials, helping to reduce waste sent to landfill and improve overall recycling outcomes. The hub features a modular, custom-built cabinet system that allows for the clean collection of multiple waste streams, minimising contamination and optimising recovery.

What can I drop off?

You can drop off the below at the Recycling Wall Hub:

  • Batteries. Please tape battery terminal ends before recycling. You can use tape provided at Concierge.   
  • Mobile phones
  • Small e-waste
  • Blister packs
  • X-ray films
  • CDs and DVDs (including cases)
  • VHS tapes and cassette tapes (including cases)
  • Eyeglasses
  • Dental products including toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes
  • Coffee pods
  • Pens and markers


What happens after you recycle your items at the hub? 

The Recycling Wall Hub is serviced byRecycleSmart. Items are collected, sorted, consolidated, and sent off for reuse or recycling. See below for what happens after you recycle your items at the hub.

*Recycling process outcomes provided by RecycleSmart.

 

Batteries

The recycling process for batteries varies depending on the chemical properties of the battery, such as lithium ion or button cell types, but generally involves breaking them down into separate materials. The remaining material is a mix of graphite and metal oxides, known as ‘black mass’, which is further refined to recover valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Recycling batteries reduces the need to mine new raw materials but also helps prevent toxic chemicals from leaching into the environment when improperly disposed of in landfill.

Small e-waste

Small e-waste items are recycled through a responsible process that begins with partnering with specialised recyclers who manage secure data removal and material recovery. Any data stored on devices, such as mobile phones or laptops, is permanently erased. These items are then safely dismantled to their separate materials, such as gold, silver, steel, copper, plastic, and glass, can be recovered. Metals like steel and copper may be sent to smelting facilities to be transformed into new products, while plastics can be melted down and remanufactured into items such as outdoor furniture.

Blister packs

Blister packs are first manually sorted and visually inspected to remove any contamination before being shredded. The empty packs them move through a series of machines that separate the aluminium from the plastic, allowing each material to be processed separately. The plastic is micronised into a fine powder, which is then melted and extruded into pellets, flakes, or powder for use in new manufacturing. The aluminium is reprocessed into new forms such as sheeting or ingots. 

Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are first taken apart by removing the lenses from the frames, allowing the metal and plastic components to be separated for recycling. These materials are then passed on to local companies to be used as raw materials in the manufacturing of new products. Contact lens cases are broken down into particles and separated by air-density and electrostatic methods to divide the plastic from the aluminium. Both materials are stored until enough volume has been collected and then sent to end-users for remanufacturing. 

Pens and markers

Pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and their caps are sorted and separated into different material types, mainly plastic and metal, before they are cleaned and shredded. The plastic is then processed through an extruder, which melts it down and forms it into pellets that can be used as raw material for new products. Manufacturers can transform these recycled plastics into items such as outdoor furniture.

Mobile phones

Mobile phones are assessed and any data is securely wiped. Devices still in working condition are set aside for refurbishment, while the rest are dismantled and shredded to separate the casing, battery, and circuit boards. Precious metals like gold, silver, and copper are recovered from the shredded material, along with the plastics, and reused in new electronics and products.

X-ray films

X-ray films are collected, weighed, assessed, and handled securely given they contain patient information. The film is shredded and then washed in a chemical solution that leaches the silver out of the emulsion layers. The recovered silver is refined for reuse in new products, while the plastic base of the film is recycled separately.

CDs and DVDs

Discs are collected and any stored data is securely destroyed before processing. The thin metal and lacquer layers are then stripped away from the polycarbonate disc, a process called delamination, and the separated polycarbonate is shredded and granulated into flakes. These flakes are used as raw material in new plastic products like automotive parts and office supplies, while the recovered aluminium is smelted for reuse.

VHS tapes and cassette tapes

Tapes are collected and the magnetic tape is degaussed or destroyed to erase any recorded content before the plastic shell is separated from the tape inside. The plastic housing is shredded and reprocessed into new plastic products. The magnetic tape itself is more difficult to recycle, since it combines plastic film with a metal oxide coating, so recovery options for this part are more limited than for the casing.

Dental products

Toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss containers, and other oral care items are collected and sorted by material type, then shredded into smaller pieces. The shredded material is washed to remove any residue and dissolve bio-based material, before being dried and pelletised into raw plastic, ready to be used in new products.

Coffee pods

Used coffee pods are collected and shredded to open them up, separating the coffee grounds from the aluminium or plastic casing. The coffee grounds are sent for composting or anaerobic digestion, producing biogas and soil improver, while the aluminium or plastic casing is cleaned and reprocessed into new products.

Library Drop-off Points

What can I drop off at the library?

Hills Shire residents can drop off batteries, mobile phones, CDs and DVDs, and VHS tapes and cassette tapes to any of the four Hills library branches.

Please remember to tape battery terminal ends before recycling at the drop off location. If battery terminals touch each other or a metal object, they can spark and start a fire.

Large household quantities of CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes or cassette tapes (maximum 100 items) are requested to be dropped to The Hills Shire Council Administration Building at 3 Columbia Court, Norwest. Please bag or box these items so they can be transferred and stored appropriately before collection.

Location

Address

Opening Hours

Phone

Baulkham Hills Library

Railway Street, Baulkham Hills

Monday 10am – 8pm

Tuesday – Friday 10am – 5:20pm

Saturday 10am – 1pm

02 9761 4520

Castle Hill Library

Cnr Castle Street and Pennant Street, Castle Hill

Monday – Friday 9:30am – 8pm

Saturday 9:30am – 5pm

Sunday 1pm – 5pm

02 9761 4520

Dural Library

Pellitt Lane, Dural

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10am – 5:20pm

Wednesday 10am – 7pm

Saturday 10am – 1pm

02 9761 4520

Vinegar Hill Memorial Library

29 Main Street, Rouse Hill

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30am – 6pm

Thursday 9:30am – 9pm

Saturday 9:30am – 5pm

Sunday 1pm – 5pm

02 9761 4520

Please note that Council’s Administration Building and Libraries are closed on Public Holidays.

Other

Community Environment Centre

Hills Shire residents can drop off batteries, mobile phones, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and cassette tapes to the Community Environment Centre at Annangrove at any time. The drop-off hub is located outside the Community Environment Centre, next to the Community Book Library.

Please remember to tape battery terminal ends before recycling at the drop off location. If battery terminals touch each other or a metal object, they can spark and start a fire.

Large household quantities of CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, or cassette tapes (maximum 100 items) are requested to be dropped to The Hills Shire Council Administration Building at 3 Columbia Court, Norwest. Please bag or box these items so they can be transferred and stored appropriately before collection.

Location: Community Environment Centre, Currie Avenue off Annangrove Road, Annangrove.

B-cycle battery recycling 

What is B-cycle? 

B-cycle is Australia’s official battery stewardship and recycling scheme, designed to ensure that household batteries are safely recycled.

Batteries don’t belong in any household bin. Just one battery can spark a fire. Batteries also contain a range of metals including lead, mercury and lithium which are hazardous to the environment when disposed of incorrectly.

How does B-cycle work?

B-cycle makes battery recycling simple by providing an interactive directory that gives you battery recycling options based on your location. To find a drop off location near you, use B-cycle’s interactive map here. 

What batteries are accepted?

B-cycle accepts most household batteries including:

  • AA, AAA, C, D, 9V
  • Rechargeable batteries
  • Button batteries
  • Removable batteries from cameras and power tools

Before you recycle

Please remember to tape battery terminal ends before recycling at the drop off location. If battery terminals touch each other or a metal object, they can spark and start a fire. 

For more information on disposing and recycling batteries, click here.

TerraCycle

What is TerraCycle?

TerraCycle is a global recycling company on a mission to “eliminate the idea of waste” by collecting and processing hard-to-recycle items. 

Across Australia and New Zealand, TerraCycle partners with more than 60 brands, including Royal Canin, Sephora, Garnier, Lavazza, and Schwarzkopf, to offer free recycling programs or many everyday products.


How does TerraCycle work?

TerraCycle offers a few pathways for recycling items.

1. Free brand-sponsored recycling programs
Many major brands fund recycling programs through TerraCycle, meaning you can join and participate at no cost to you.

How it works:

  1. Choose a program for the type of waste you want to recycle
  2. Collect items at home, work, or within your community
  3. Send them to TerraCycle using the prepaid shipping label provided.     

    Items are then sorted, cleaned, and processed into reusable raw materials.

2. Zero Waste Boxes
For waste types not covered by free programs, TerraCycle offers Zero Waste Boxes.

How it works:

  1. Order a Zero Waste Box for your chosen waste stream
  2. Fill it with the accepted items over time
  3. Return it to TerraCycle using the prepaid shipping label provided


    Items are then sorted and recycled through specialised processing streams.

3. In-store recycling programs
Some TerraCycle partner brands also offer in-store recycling options, allowing you to drop off accepted waste while you shop. These programs are typically available at major retailers and stores. Examples of in-store TerraCycle programs include Mecca Beauty Product Recycling Program, Sephora Free Recycling Program, NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Capsule Recycling, and Schwarzkopf Aerosol and Haircare Programs.

To check which programs are currently available near you, use TerraCycle’s interactive map here.

Pharmacycle

What is Pharmacycle?

Pharmacycle is a national recycling program that focuses on recovering empty medicinal blister packs, which cannot be recycled through kerbside bins as they contain multiple different materials, including plastic and aluminium.

Pharmacycle provides a complete end-to-end recycling pathway, collecting blister packs from pharmacies and households, transporting them to a processing facility in Sydney, and using specialised recycling technology to separate the aluminium and plastic so they can be reused by local manufactures.

Pharmacycle have worked with pharmacies, councils, healthcare providers, brands, and households to divert more than 100 million blister packs from landfill.


How does Pharmacycle work?

Pharmacycle offers two pathways for recycling blister packs.

  1. Free in-pharmacy drop-off

    Many major pharmacies participate, allowing you to drop off empty blister packs for free.

    To find your closest drop off point, use Pharmacycle’s interactive map here.

  2. Mail-back satchels

Pharmacycle offers a mail-back option, making blister pack recycling accessible from anywhere.

How it works:

  1. Order a prepaid satchel online
  2. Fill it with empty blister packs from any brand

Return it to Pharmacycle using the prepaid shipping label provided

Officeworks

Officeworks offers a ‘Bring it Back’ recycling service designed to help responsibly dispose of unwanted technology, stationery, and everyday office supplies. Since 2015, the program has collected more than 11,000 tonnes of materials for recycling, repair, or reuse.

What can you drop off?

  • Technology and electronics including laptops, computers, printers, scanners, monitors, phones, smartwatches, gaming consoles, chargers, cords, and accessories
  • Ink and toner cartridges
  • CDs, DVDs, USBs, and hard drivers
  • School and office stationery including pens, markers, crayons, glue sticks, rulers, calculators, and exercise books

Visit Officework’s recycling webpage for more information here. 

Toys for Joy

Toys for Joy is Australia’s first large-scale, in-store toy recycling program, available at all BIG W stores. The program aims to reduce toys going to landfill through reuse or recycling.

What can you drop off?

  • Plastic toys
  • Metal toys
  • Plush toys
  • Electronic toys with batteries removed

What can’t you drop off?

  • Books
  • Board games
  • Wooden toys
  • Arts and craft supplies
  • Paints
  • Playdough
  • Oversized toys including bikes and scooters
  • Sports gear

Visit BIG W’s recycling webpage for more information here.

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