Reduce Reuse Recycle !
While recycling has a role to play in looking after our environment, it should truly be considered a last resort, and our primary focus needs to be on reducing consumption, reusing, repairing, repurposing, and rethinking our relationship with consumable items.
Historically, Edendale Farm served as a valued drop-off point for a wide range of items destined for recycling. We are proud we played a role in supporting our community's efforts toward sustainability and responsible waste management.
However, over time, many of these recycling programs and become commonly available at mainstream shops (e.g batteries, phones, e-waste, corks), or have been phased out due to changes in industry regulations, logistics, availability of processing facilities, or demand for end recycled products.
As a result, Edendale no longer accepts any items for recycling on-site with the exception of the plastic garden pots and tubes that have been purchased from Edendale Indigenous Nursery ONLY. Thes Edendale purchased forestry tubes, trays, and pots can be washed and re-used.
We remain committed to helping our community reduce waste and recycle responsibly. There are still local options where you can take items for proper recycling and disposal.
Below is a list of common household and garden items, along with information on where they can currently be recycled in the community.
Clothing and shoes
- Donate to charity. Make sure donated clothing and shoes are in excellent condition, clean and not stained.
- Sell or give them away by posting them to:
- Recycle via RCYCLor Upparel. Both Australian businesses accepting clothes and other textiles. Check websites for items accepted.
- Other recycling options include Zara and H&M Group.
- Find a recycling location for shoes via Tread Lightly.
- Find a Southern Cross Recycling clothing bin.
- Find a textile recycling location via RecylingNearYou.
Other Textiles
- Donate reusable fabric to charity. Check with opshop before leaving at store.
- Recycle via RCYCL or Upparel. Both Australian businesses accepting clothes and other textiles. Check websites for items accepted.
- Recycle clothing by dropping them at clothing stores, H&M Group or Zara.
- Recycle through Southern Cross Recycling
- Dispose of in your red landfill bin.
Plastic Garden Pots and Tubes
- At the Edendale nursery we do take back used tubes, trays, and pots that have been purchased here at Edendale. We can wash them and re-use them.
- We do not collect other pots for recycling, however there are a few locations in, or close to, Nillumbik where these pots can be dropped off.
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- Eltham Bunnings
- Nillumbik Nursery
- Rivers of Yarrambat
- Beasley’s Nursery
- Bunnings Mill Park
- Bunnings Doncaster
- Find a collection location near you
If pots are damaged or unusable:
- Dispose of in your red landfill bin.
Even though black plastic pots are recyclable, the sorting equipment at the recycling facility (Cleanaway) cannot identify them and sorts them incorrectly. They use optical sorting technology.
Soft Plastic
A new trail program for soft plastic recycling has commenced with the following local supermarkets accepting some softs plastics for recycling.
- Eltham Woolworths
- Ivanhoe Coles
Soft plastic items that will be collected include:
- Plastic bags
- Bread and bakery bags
- Chip and snack packets
- Confectionary packaging
- Frozen food packaging
- Dry goods packets (pasta, rice, sugar etc)
- Pet food bags
The soft plastic should be clean, free of food waste and be dry to prevent contamination of the collections.
This trial will collect data on soft plastic collection, recycling logistics and process, so may run for a limited time. The goal is to develop an ongoing and sustainable soft plastic recycling solution.
A note about REDcycle - currently suspended
REDcycle was a program to recycle soft plastics through supermarkets. In November 2022, REDcycle and soft plastic recycling was paused, due to limited recycling options and end markets for REDcycle products. The Soft Plastics Taskforce involving industry and government was established to help restart the program. The recently introduced drop-off trial (see above) will help understand how household soft plastics might be recycled in the future.
Batteries
Household batteries (for example, AA or AAA, nickel rechargeable, button cell)
Car batteries
Recycle at our Recycling Centre.
Damaged lithium batteries
Deliver damaged lithium batteries to Ecocycle in Campbellfield for safe recycling
Working batteries
Recycle working batteries at our Recycling Centre
More information about battery safety
X Rays
Recycle at the Nillumbik Shire Operations Centre in Yan Yean - Recycling Centre.
Corks
Natural corks
- Put in your home compost or donate to charity. Edendale is currently accepting corks for use in our School Education Program for art activities, you can bring them to Reception at the Farm.
- Recycle at Dan Murphys in Eltham. See ReCORK pilot program.
Plastic corks
Dispose of in your red landfill bin.
Light Globes
Light bulbs including fluorescent tubes and downlights
If you are looking to recycle other items check out the Nillumbik Shire website's A to Z of Waste and Recycling for a comprehensive list of other items. Simply type in the item to be recycled and find the best solution.
Nillumbik A to Z of Waste and Recycling