6 Items Australians Can Recycle From Home (That Don't Go in Kerbside Bins)

With so many of us stuck at home, many are feeling the urge to declutter. If you’ve been inspired by the likes of Marie Kondo to organise your house and workspace, you’re not alone!

While many of you will end up storing, selling or throwing away items that no longer bring you joy, please think about the environment and recycle those that can be diverted from landfill.

Related Post: Lifting the Lid on Recycling: 10 Recycling Dos and Don’ts

Here are some items you probably didn’t know you could recycle for free through TerraCycle, an innovative global recycling company known for its focus on recycling hard-to-recycle materials:

1. Coffee capsules

Do you use a capsule espresso maker at home? If so, consider choosing a brand that takes sustainability seriously. In Australia, TerraCycle offers national recycling programs for Nescafé Dolce Gusto, L’Or, Moccona, illy and Seven Miles coffee capsules and turns them into new items such as park benches and garden beds. To sign up for free, head to the TerraCycle website, create an account and start a home collection to recycle at a later date.

2. Dish and air care products

While you’re in the kitchen, why not collect any empty dishwashing liquid bottles and tablet packaging and save them for recycling in the Dish and Air Care Recycling Program. Also accepted in this program are any used air freshener aerosol cans and spray bottles and plug in air fresheners and refills for homes and cars. Watch this space! The programs’ sponsors, Fairy and Ambi Pur, have some exciting initiatives in store for the remainder of 2020.

3. Writing instruments

All great workspace declutters involve organising your stationery. If you find yourself with a pile of used markers and pens, save them for recycling through TerraCycle’s Writing Instruments Recycling Program with Bic. Soon, you’ll be able to utilise our Community Collection Network to drop off items to your nearest location accepting public donations of recyclables.

4. Toys

If you’re decluttering your children’s rooms, don’t forget to collect any L.O.L. Surprise! Packaging, accessories, and products to recycle with TerraCycle. Spaces in this latest free recycling program are filling up fast so make sure you head to the website to sign up now. Additionally, TerraCycle also accept ZURU Bunch O Balloons products and packaging for recycling.

5. Oral care

The best time to recycle your old toothbrush is every time you replace it (recommended to be every three months). Remember to save up these toothbrushes (including electric toothbrush heads), along with any empty toothpaste tubes and floss containers, too. Then when the world goes back to normal, you could drop them off at your nearest Community Collection Hub participating in the Oral Care Recycling Program with Colgate.

6. Beauty products

Last but not least, it’s time to declutter your bathroom. In order to minimise the amount of non-essential beauty products you purchase in future, only have out what you use daily and store the rest. That way, when you run out of a product, you’ll be more likely to second guess whether you actually need it. You can recycle different specific brands of skin care, hair care, and cosmetic packaging through TerraCycle. A few of their partners include Burt’s Bees, Edible Beauty, Jurlique, L’Occitane, The Body Shop and Kiehl’s.

And when you do go to stock up on beauty supplies, make sure you vote with your dollar and choose a brand who has a recycling solution for their products.

While COVID-19 is giving the planet a break from emissions, pollution and crowds, unfortunately another consequence is the increased use of single-use items and decrease in recycling levels. These tips will help you do your bit to keep as much as possible out of Australian landfills.

This article was submitted by Daria Romanos at TerraCycle.

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Feature image via Shutterstock.