Did you know you can now recycle solar panels, drop off hidden batteries, and even charge your EV from a power pole? Learn more about the sustainability trials currently running in our region.
Port Macquarie Hastings Council is proud to promote a range of innovative trials that support a more sustainable future for our community. From embedded battery and solar panel recycling to power pole EV chargers and community batteries, these initiatives place our region at the forefront of environmentally focused solutions.
Safe Solutions for Hidden Batteries
Embedded batteries are built into products and can’t be safely or easily removed. Like all batteries, they should never go in your kerbside bins – they contain hazardous chemicals that can spark fires in bins, waste trucks and facilities.
In September 2024, Council launched a two-year trial allowing residents to drop off items with embedded batteries for free at the Port Macquarie Waste Transfer Station. This keeps our community safe while ensuring these products are recycled responsibly.
Find out more at pmhc.nsw.gov.au/batteries.
Solar Panels Get a Second Life
In partnership with MidWaste, Council is running a free residential solar panel recycling trial. Households can drop off panels at PMHC waste facilities, where they are recycled in Australia.
Since the trial began in June, over 300 solar panels have already been collected in our region. The trial will run for about six months, depending on demand. While we hope to continue the program at cost after the trial, a national Product Stewardship Scheme could make solar panel recycling standard practice.
Sharing Solar with the Community
Essential Energy’s pole-mounted community batteries are now in place inland of Shelly Beach. Six batteries are already storing solar power for a group of local households.
This helps households make the most of excess solar, reduces network costs, and supports our community’s renewable energy future. Learn more here.
Recycling Solutions for Big Bags
Big Bag Recovery is the Australian Government–accredited stewardship scheme for plastic sacks and bulk bags over 15kg/L capacity. These heavy-duty bags, are often used for fertiliser, seeds, animal feed, cement, mulch and more.
Big Bags can now be recycled for free at Kew, Wauchope, Comboyne and Cairncross Waste Transfer Stations. The program accepts woven polypropylene (wPP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags, helping keep valuable materials out of landfill.
Power from the Pole
In July 2025, Essential Energy installed Australia’s first integrated EV charging power pole in Kew, just off the Pacific Highway.
The community is invited to use the charger free of charge during its three-month trial, which runs until 5 October 2025. The trial is going well to date, averaging one use per day.
To learn more and provide feedback, visit Essential Energy’s AC EV Charger Trial page.
Together, these trials show what’s possible when innovation meets community action — and every step brings us closer to a more sustainable future. We’re proud to be leading the way here in Port Macquarie Hastings Council area.
Do you know of other environmental initiatives being trialled in our community? We’d love to hear about them!
📧 Contact us at education@pmhc.nsw.gov.au
