Some things don't belong in any bin - help keep valuable materials out of landfill by dropping it off for free at your closest waste transfer station instead.
Some common household items don’t belong in any kerbside bin. Hazardous and bulky items pose safety risks when binned, but are reused or recycled when they’re disposed of responsibly.
Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s Drop Off for Free program allows residents to take a range of household problem wastes to their local waste transfer station at no cost. The program helps residents safely manage these items while keeping valuable materials out of landfill and in circulation.
Why it matters
Problem waste sent to landfill doesn’t just take up space – it can damage equipment, put workers at risk, and means we lose materials that still have value. The Drop Off for Free program supports a circular economy by reducing landfill and helping resources stay in use for longer.
When placed in kerbside bins, batteries can cause fires in trucks and facilities, gas bottles can combust, and paint and motor oil can leak, polluting soil and waterways. However, when these same items are dropped off for free:
- Recycling programs recover and reuse up to 95% of battery components;
- Used motor oil is re-refined into new lubricants; and,
- Solvent-based paint is used as an alternative energy source, replacing fossil fuels in cement kilns.
By taking these items to the right place, residents help protect the environment, improve safety, and reduce the need for new raw materials.
What you can Drop Off for Free
A wide range of household items are accepted through the Drop Off for Free program, including:
- Car and household batteries
- Motor oil and cooking oil
- Paints and solvents
- Gas cylinders
- Household chemicals
- Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
- Fluorescent tubes and globes
- E-waste
- Whitegoods
- Bulk recyclables (large quantities of cardboard, glass bottles and aluminium cans)
Residents can drop off household quantities (up to 20 kg or 20 litres) at all waste transfer stations. Some conditions apply, so check the Drop Off for Free page before you visit.
New to the Program:
- Corded Power tools are now accepted for free at all of our waste facilities!
Trials
- Solar Panels – Accepted at all waste facilities except Comboyne
- Embedded Batteries – Accepted at Port Macquarie Waste Transfer Station
Not sure what goes where?
The A–Z Waste Guide and Waste Info App are handy tools to help you check whether an item belongs in your red, yellow or green bin — or if it needs to be dropped off for free instead.
Using Drop Off for Free is a simple way for households to reduce landfill, improve safety, and make sure valuable materials are recovered rather than wasted. When in doubt, checking where an item belongs — and choosing to drop it off safely — makes a real difference.
Community Reycling Centre video series
Want to know more about how some of our more problematic waste is collected and recycled? Check out our Community Recycling Centre video series.
The series covers some of the common items we have around our homes that can be dropped off for free at one of our five local waste transfer facilities.
