Electronic waste is growing 3x times faster than the rate of standard waste. It contains potentially hazardous and valuable materials, which don’t belong in landfill.

To help protect our environment and recover more precious resources, the Victorian government has banned all electronic waste from going to landfill as of Monday 1 July 2019.

What is electronic waste? 

Electronic waste (or e-waste) is anything with a battery or a plug, items include phones, laptops, kitchen appliances and toys,

Browse a full list of electronic waste items.

What does this ban mean for you?  

From Monday 1 July all electronic waste must be disposed of at a designated collection point.

Electronic waste items cannot be disposed of in your kerbside waste or recycling bin and electronic waste contamination in your kerbside bins will result in your bins not being collected.

Why is the Victorian government introducing this ban?

E-waste contains hazardous materials, which can harm the environment and human health when not disposed of properly and valuable materials like copper, plastics and aluminium contained in e-waste are lost when appliances, computers and other household electrical goods are sent to landfill.

Where are the e-waste drop off points in Yarra?

• The Yarra Recycling Centre – for TVs, computers, cords, batteries, mobiles, household appliances. 
• Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library
• Richmond Library
• Yarra Council’s hard rubbish collection service which can be booked here.  
• Officeworks Fitzroy and Richmond – for mobile phones. 
• Salvos Fitzroy – for mobile phones.  
• Collingwood Town Hall and Melbourne Polytechnic Collingwood Campus Library – all have Mobile Muster drop offs for mobile phones.   
• Aldi Abbotsford – for batteries. 
• Finbar, Holden St and North Carlton Neighbourhood House – for household batteries and mobiles phones. 
• Mobile Muster is a free electronic waste recycling service for mobile phones and their accessories, you can check out their website for more information, to find a drop off point or to book a collection.  

For a full list of drop off points and other zero waste initiatives, view our Zero Waste Map. 

What else can I do to minimise my electronic waste footprint?  

More than 20 million tonnes of electronic waste is produced globally every year and even when recycled, a significant amount of electronic material cannot be recovered and will still end up in landfill.  That’s why reducing the amount of electronic waste you produce is the best solution.   

• Repair rather than dispose of your items – Richmond Repair Corner at the Richmond Community Learning Centre is a great place to mend an item in need of repair.  
• Buy second hand from op shops, Facebook Marketplace or the Trading Post – The Salvation Army Abbotsford, Fitzroy and Richmond all sell used (and working!) electrical items.  
• Purchase quality items that will last rather than cheap items that are more likely to break. 
• Buy fewer gadgets! Think about your purchases int terms of how often you will use something: daily, weekly, monthly or annually. For items that you only need to use occasionally, you can try borrowing from a friend or hiring.   

Watch this short video for more info!