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How it works

The doorstep recycling service provides City of Sydney residents with a convenient way to recycle tricky items that don’t belong in kerbside rubbish or recycling bins.

SCRgroup is contracted by the City of Sydney to run the collection service. SCRgroup is a registered Australian company that works with charities and social enterprises to provide various collection and recycling programs.

Limit of one pick-up per household per week. Bookings are subject to availability.

Book a collection online

Download a poster for your apartment building

Step 1

Confirm you live in the City of Sydney’s area

We don’t accept items from local businesses.

Check your address to see if you qualify.

Step 2

Check your items can be collected

We collect and recycle tricky items that don’t belong in your bins at home.

See the full list of what we collect list below

Step 3

Book a collection

You must have at least 2 full bags of items before booking a collection.

Book a collection online

Step 4

Prepare your items for collection

Please separate your items into 2 categories: 

1. Clothes, linen, textiles, and toys, with toys in soft plastic bags.

2. All other items including electronics, light bulbs, x-rays, polystyrene, batteries (please tape ends), printer cartridges, paint (2L), mobile phones etc.

• Please place coffee pods and batteries into their own clear soft plastic bags for safety and to prevent leaks

• Write a note “Doorstep recycling service” and attach it to the bags so your neighbours know it’s being collected.

Step 5

Put your items out before 8am on collection day

A driver will come by to collect your items before 3pm.

If you live in an apartment building with secure access, you can leave your bags outside near the entry or letterboxes. If somebody is home to give the driver access, leave your bags in the lobby or at your front door and buzz the driver in.

If you live in a house or terrace, leave your bags at your front doorstep.

You’ll receive a text message when items are collected.

Step 6

Retrieve your empty bags

The driver will leave your empty sturdy reusable bags where you left them – don’t forget to retrieve them. 

The thinner plastic reusable bags will be taken.

Book a collection

• Clothing, linen and textiles

Wearable clothing, non-wearable clothing, swimwear, fashion accessories (hats, gloves, handbags, belts, jewellery), shoes, blankets, sheets and towels  – no wet clothing

• Electronics

Small appliances (kettle, toaster, iron, blender, alarm clock, radio, hairdryer, straightener, electric toothbrushes, remotes, power tools, DVDs/CDs/videotapes, vapes etc), small computers and accessories (laptops, tablets, e-readers, mouse keyboards, game consoles, speakers, remotes, cameras etc)

• Mobile phones

Mobile phones (including smartphones), landlines and accessories (cables, chargers, headphones)

• Toys

Good quality hard toys, in good working condition (batteries removed)

• Rigid polystyrene/styrofoam

From furniture, appliance or delivery packaging, plus rigid, clean polystyrene food containers, or food-grade polystyrene (keep pieces whole with all tape/glue removed) – no bendy or squishy items, like foam wrap, foam sheets, packing peanuts or bean bag filling

• Small batteries

Rechargeable, non-rechargeable, small handheld batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V), lantern, watch and button batteries

• Printer cartridges

Inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges, toner bottles, fuser and drum units, fax rolls and print heads

• Light bulbs / fluorescent tubes

• Aluminium coffee pods

Place coffee pods in a clear soft plastic bag

• X-ray films

X-ray, MRI, and CT scans / films (paper envelopes removed)

• Paint (under 2L)

Water and oil-based paints in original containers, less than 2L

• Empty blister packs

These are the pill packets made of plastic and foil. We also accept empty, fully foil pill packets. If your blister pack came in a cardboard box, recycle the box separately in your yellow lid bin at home. No business quantities.

• Chemicals

Poisons, pesticides, household and pool cleaners, motor oil and cooking oil. These can be recycled at a Household Chemical CleanOut collection

• Coffee cups

Pop them in Simply Cups bins at 7-11 stores

• Cosmetic containers

Take them to participating Mecca, Priceline, David Jones or Woolworths stores

• Large batteries

Car batteries, power tool batteries, e-bike batteries. See the battery guide for where to recycle them

• Gas bottles

• Smoke alarms

• Fire extinguishers

• Large items

Furniture, whitegoods, mattresses, large electronics, and workout machines. Instead book a free pick-up for bulky items

• Medicines

Drop them off at any pharmacy

• Non-electronic household items

Mirrors, bric-a-brac, kitchenware, camping and sports equipment, boardgames, books, bikes, prams

• Carpets, rugs, curtains, cushions, electric blankets, pillows and doonas/quilts/duvets

• Underwear and socks

In any condition

• Soft plastics

Regrettably, these must go in your red lid rubbish bin

• Items that can go in your recycling bins at home

Bottles, plastic containers, glass, cardboard, foil and cans – put them in your yellow lid bin

• Cardboard

What happens next

Your preloved items are collected and sorted by our friendly team members and processed by various local service providers, contributing towards a circular economy. Find out more about what happens to your items.

If something doesn’t go to plan

If your bags aren’t picked up before 3pm on your scheduled day, contact SCRgroup at [email protected] and they’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

If you forget to put out your bags, SCRgroup will be in touch with you to reschedule your booking.

If you need to change or edit your booking, log in to your account or call (02) 9066 5833. Changes need to be made by 4pm the day before your scheduled pick-up.

If items were left in your bag, they are likely not accepted. SCRgroup will contact you with more information.