Christmas Waste and Recycling Guide

There are lots of questions about what can and can't be recycled at Christmas time. We've put together a guide to some of the most asked about items.

Before visiting our facilities, please remember to check our Christmas operating hours.

Christmas trees

Natural Christmas trees can be placed in your green lid bin. You'll need to chop the tree up first to ensure none of the branches or trunk exceed 10cm in diameter and 30cm in length. Remember to remove all the decorations beforehand. Alternatively, you can drop your tree off at Summerhill Waste Management Centre (fees apply, or if eligible, use a bulk waste voucher).

Plastic Christmas trees are usually made of materials that can’t be recycled. If it can't fit it in your red-lid bin, you can dispose of your plastic tree at Summerhill Waste Management Centre (fees apply) or store it for the next time you use our bulk waste service. If your unwanted tree is in good condition, consider giving it a new home via online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.

Tinsel

Tinsel is unable to be recycled and should be placed in your red lid bin.

Wrapping paper

We've got an entire page explaining what gift wrap can and can't be recycled, as well as some eco-friendly alternatives. As long as it's made from 100 percent paper, gift wrap can be recycled in your yellow lid bin.

Christmas lights, fairy lights and LEDs

Christmas lights are accepted as part of our e-waste recycling service at Summerhill Waste Management Centre. Newcastle residents can drop off up to 10 items of e-waste per visit for free. Please note: lights cannot be placed in your yellow lid bin.

Electronics

If you've upgraded your tech there's plenty of ways to recycle the electronics you no longer need.

If they're in good condition you could sell or donate them, otherwise e-waste can be recycled at Summerhill Waste Management Centre. Newcastle residents can drop off 10 items per visit free of charge.

Items we accept include mobile phones, TVs, gaming consoles and kitchen appliances. For a full list of accepted items, please visit our e-waste page.

Mobile phones can also be dropped off at our Community Recycling Stations.

Batteries

Batteries don't belong in any of your kerbside bins. They contain toxic materials that can harm the environment if disposed to landfill. They can also start fires inside collection trucks or at the landfill and recycling facilities.

There are plenty of free drop-off locations to recycle household batteries, including several Council facilities and retail outlets such as Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, and Officeworks.

Toys

Because toys are typically made of multiple materials—such as plastics, metal and electronics—they usually aren't suitable for recycling through your kerbside bin service.

You can drop off a variety of pre-loved toys for free at most BIG W stores to be recycled into something new. The program accepts all brands of plastic, plush, metal and electronic toys (with batteries removed). Some items are not accepted, such as books, board games, wooden toys and art supplies. Full details are available on the Toys for Joy website.

Unwanted gifts

While the gift giver wouldn’t have intended to give something unwanted, this is something that often happens at Christmas. Whilst you mightn't want it, many gifts are perfect to be donated, sold, or re-gifted.

If you’re donating items, the video below has some tips from local charities.

Disposable aluminium foil trays

Providing they are clean (no food or oil), disposable aluminium foil trays can be placed in your yellow lid bin.

Aluminium foil can also be recycled; however, it needs to be scrunched into a ball around the size of a tennis ball. Smaller balls can go undetected by the sorting machinery at the recycling facility and sent to landfill. The best way to recycle tiny pieces of foil is to set aside an empty drink can to collect them; once full, squeeze lightly to contain and pop into your yellow lid bin.

Cans and bottles

If you've got too much recycling for your yellow lid bin this Christmas then our Sort & Save service is the perfect solution. This year-round service lets Newcastle residents drop off pre-sorted loads of household recyclables for recycling at no charge at Summerhill Waste Management Centre (conditions apply). Don't forget to wear fully enclosed shoes (no sandals, crocs, or thongs) as this is a condition of site entry.

If your yellow lid bin often overflows throughout the year, you can arrange a recycling bin upsize for a low one-off fee.

Cardboard boxes

Cardboard boxes can be flattened and recycled in your yellow lid bin.

Newcastle residents can also drop off cardboard at Summerhill free of charge via our Sort & Save service (conditions apply).

Soft plastics

Many products come wrapped in soft plastic, so this can be something that there's lots of at Christmas. Newcastle residents can recycle soft plastics using their yellow lid bin by joining the free Curby program.

Other packaging

Mail satchels can be recycled via the Curby program providing they are made from plastic only. Padded envelopes that are a mix of paper and bubble wrap generally can't be recycled, although you can remove the plastic component to recycle it through Curby.

Some mail satchels and bubble envelopes are labelled compostable; please follow the details printed on the packaging to add them to a home compost bin, otherwise they should be placed in your red lid bin.

Packing peanuts are those tiny bits of foam found inside delivery boxes to protect the contents. It's not always clear what they're made of, but you can test by placing a few in water:

• If they dissolve, they are likely made from biodegradable or compostable materials such as wheat or corn starch. You can add these to a home compost bin or put them in your red lid bin.
• If they don't dissolve, they are likely made from polystyrene and should go in your red lid bin (please bag first).

If you're not sure what the packing peanuts are made from, it's best to put them into your red lid bin.

Honeycomb Kraft paper wrap, also known as Hex wrap, is used as a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging and bubble wrap. It can be recycled in your yellow lid bin, or you can cut it up and add to a home compost bin.

Whilst the above guide covers some of the most common items people have at Christmas, our Waste and Recycling A-Z is a great resource if you're wondering what can and can't be recycled at any time of year.