Community Recycling Centre

Drop off your household problem waste for free.

Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) collect common household problem wastes that can’t be recycled via council kerbside waste and recycling collection services. Households can drop off problem wastes at these centres year-round, free of charge.

Community recycling centre with bins in a line an signs above each bin.

We have 3 CRC options in the Bega Valley

[FAQ]

Embedded Battery Recycling

The CRC at the Merimbula Waste and Recycling Centre can now accept items with embedded batteries for FREE recycling in a two year trial supported by the NSW EPA.

Embedded batteries are those that cannot easily be removed from common household items like electric toothbrushes, wireless headphones, rechargable vacuum cleaners, rechargable torches, single-use vapes, cordless hair clippers or shavers etc. They create a serious fire hazard in household bins, waste collection trucks and at our landfill. This two year collection trial allows us to accept these items at the Merimbula CRC for safe recycling.

Common items that are accepted at the Merimbula CRC includes:
Bluetooth speakers and headphones
Electric toothbrushes
E-scooters, e-bikes and hover boards
Flashing/light up toys?– particularly wands or other hard plastic products
Personal care devices (eg. shavers)
Powerpacks and portable charging devices
Remote controlled and ride-on toys
Vacuum cleaners (cordless hand-held and robotic)
Vapes
Wearable devices such as smart watches, trackers and medical aids

Items not accepted under the trial include e-waste such as televisions, computers, printers, computer parts and peripherals, and rechargeable gaming controllers and laptops, mobile phones or bulky oversized items (like electric vehicles and Telsa Powerwalls).

Tips for using the CRC

Only household quantities of these materials will be accepted. As a guide, this is a maximum container of 20 litres or 20 kilograms for each waste type.
Handle and transport your items carefully. Protect your vehicle by placing items on a protective sheet or tray in the boot to capture any leakages or breakages.
Businesses are not eligible to use the CRC, Mobile CRC or CRS. Contact a waste disposal service directly or visit Business Recycling.
Household chemicals like pool chemicals, household cleaners, garden chemicals and pesticides should be taken to the yearly Household Chemical CleanOut event.

What happens to waste items after they have been dropped off?

Paints are mixed with other waste solvents and used as an alternative to fuel in cement kilns. The metal containers are recycled.
Lead acid batteries are sent to recyclers where the lead, acid and plastic are recovered and recycled.
Fluorescent tubes and globes contain mercury. Recyclers crush the tubes to separate the phosphor powder from the glass. They feed the powder through receiving containers, where it is filtered to capture fugitive mercury emissions. The mercury is then separated by distillation and sold for a range of industrial uses. The metals are also recycled.
Gas bottles have residual gas captured for reuse. Undamaged bottles are retested, restamped, and entered into the hire industry. Damaged bottles are punctured and recycled as scrap metal.
Used oils are processed to become a lubricant or used for waste to energy.
Printer ink cartridges are recycled through Planet Ark and Close the Loop in Melbourne. The cartridges are sent back to the manufacturer for reuse as new cartridges.
Mobile phones are recycled through MobileMuster, preventing hazardous materials from entering the environment.

This project is a NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy. Visit www.epa.nsw.gov.au.

Our council websites

Contact Us

02 6499 2222
council@begavalley.nsw.gov.au
Zingel Place
PO Box 492
Bega NSW 2550
Monday to Friday 9.00AM to 4.30PM
Administration building Zingel Place Bega
Australia
ABN: 26 987 935 332

Services

Community

Business

Development

Council