E-waste recycling in Brisbane

Count the e-products in your home and consider how much your household could save by not buying a new device.

Consider borrowing, hiring, or sharing electronic products by:

• visiting the Brisbane Tool Library to borrow power tools and other equipment instead of buying new
• renting or hiring e-products such as televisions, computers and washing machines instead of buying new
• checking if you can borrow gadgets, tools, or other equipment from family, friends or neighbours before buying new products.

Extend the lifespan of your electronic products. Reduce the number of devices ending up as e-waste too soon by decreasing your need for new devices. Resist upgrading by considering alternatives such as getting a pre-paid sim when your phone plan ends. This simple option can extend the life of your phone and save you money on a new phone plan.

Extend the life of e-products by:

• shutting down your devices
• unplugging chargers once devices are charged
• turning off appliances at the wall when they are not in use
• storing products in accordance with instructions
• protecting devices in transit
• servicing and cleaning products regularly.

Shop smart by:

• using the Cloud for storing data, reducing the need for storage devices which can have environmental impacts.
• buying less by avoiding cheap options that won't last long in favour of high quality and versatile products. By buying second-hand, you can often find high quality products at lower prices.
• supporting Australian-made e-products to limit greenhouse gas emissions from imported products. Australian-made products will have more local service and repair outlets.
• buying energy-efficient appliances. They might have a higher upfront purchase price, but their operating costs are often 9-25% lower than conventional models. 
• checking an item’s repairability before purchasing as the cost of repair varies. 
• checking certification labels to look for environmental standards labels. This information can be found through:
  • EPEAT eco-label managed by Global Electronics Council
  • TCO Certified for information technology e-products
  • Energy Rating for readily identifiable label on most whitegoods and household electrical appliances
  • CHOICE, a non-profit organisation that supports Australian consumers to buy smarter.

Repurpose or share working e-products to extend their use by:

• reusing your old mobile phone for playing music and/or navigation
• rehoming e-products you no longer need to family and friends.
• buying second-hand and refurbished working e-products from:
  • online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or eBay
  • Amazon Renewed which offers quality, refurbished products that have been inspected and tested by qualified suppliers
  • major retailers such as Dick Smith and JB Hi-Fi that offer refurbished, like-new and open-box products
  • Cash Converters or local op shops
  • Australian Computer Traders for refurbished ex-government computers and other information technology products
  • Substation 33 social enterprise in Kingston.
• selling working e-products to Cash Converters
• trading in your Apple device for credit towards a future purchase
• donating good quality e-products online via Freecycle, Buy Nothing, or Facebook Marketplace. Alternatively, donate them to a local op shop if they accept electrical items
• donating e-products to Computers 4 Learning in Banyo, where volunteers refurbish computers for low-cost resale
• contacting the Australian Repair Network.

Have your e-products repaired by:

• contacting the manufacturer or the purchase store to obtain advice on repair
• acquiring skills to repair e-products through iFixit
• visiting a repair cafe for minor repairs and advice
• visiting a computer or mobile phone repairer at your local shopping centre. 

Batteries and vapes can be disposed of at the following locations:

• B-cycle drop-off points including Council's resource recovery centres, Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings stores and more
• Battery World stores (for car, boat and motorbike batteries)
• EcoActiv collection service
• Ecocycle in Hemmant
• Kingfisher Recycling Centre drop-off point in Aspley (car batteries)
• RecycleSmart household collections
• Substation 33 drop-off point in Kingston 
• Vapes: can be taken to Council's resource recovery centres
• Solar panels and batteries: EcoActiv collection service.

Small household appliances

Small household appliances including toasters, kettles, microwaves, cameras, vacuum cleaners, headphones, power tools and smoke alarms. They can be disposed at:

• Big W - Toys for Joy (battery-operated toys)
• Council's resource recovery centres 
• EcoActiv collection service 
• Ecocycle Hemmant (for power tools)
• eWaste Connection in Yeronga and Kenmore
• RecycleSmart household collections
• Smoke alarms: are only accepted for recycling at eWaste Connection. You can take photoelectric types with non-removable batteries to the Council’s resource recovery centres. 

Large household appliances

Large appliances include dishwashers, washing machines, dryers and ovens. They can be disposed at:

• Council's resource recovery centres (fluorescent tubes and globes)
• EcoActiv collection service 
• Kingfisher Recycling Centre in Aspley.

Temperature-exchange equipment

Temperature-exchange equipment including fridges, freezers and air conditioning units. They can be disposed at:

• Council's resource recovery centres 
• EcoActiv collection service 
• Kingfisher Recycling Centre drop-off point in Aspley (most e-waste whitegoods, hot water systems).

Lighting

Lighting including lamps and globes. They can be disposed at:

• Council's resource recovery centres (fluorescent tubes and globes)
• EcoActiv collection service
• Ecocycle in Hemmant
• RecycleSmart household collections.

Mobile devices

Mobile phones including chargers, accessories and smart watches. They can be disposed at:

• MobileMuster drop-off points at Council's resource recovery centres, Council libraries, Woolworths, Officeworks, Optus, Vodafone and Telstra stores and more. MobileMuster also accepts other electronic waste including modems, routers, landline phones, smart speakers and digital hub displays, wearables and smart watches, tracking tags, and virtual reality headsets. You can also send e-waste for free using a reply-paid satchel from AusPost stores or MobileMuster
• EcoActiv collection service 
• e-Waste collection service
• RecycleSmart household collection.

Televisions and computers

Televisions and computers including desktop computers, laptops, monitors, printers, hard drives and keyboards. They can be disposed at:

• National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme drop-off points including Council's resource recovery centres, Officeworks, Substation33
• EcoActiv collection service 
• eWaste Connection drop-off points in Yeronga and Kenmore
• eWaste program collection service
• Kingfisher Recycling Centre drop-off point in Aspley 
• Litehaus International online donations for laptops and computers.

Printer cartridges

Printer cartridges can be disposed at:

• Cartridges 4 Planet Ark is a recycling program for recycling used printer cartridges.