Australian Capital Territory · Canberra
E-waste disposal in Canberra
In the ACT, electrical items and electronic devices must not go in the recycling bin, and anything battery powered must not go in any household bin. Drop-off is free at the Mitchell and Mugga Lane resource management centres, so the bin is never the answer. Wipe every device before it leaves the house.
Sources ACT Recyclopaedia: electrical itemsACT hazardous waste drop-off: Mugga Lane and Mitchell
What do I do with electronics & screens in the ACT?
- Wipe it first Factory reset, sign out of accounts, pull the SIM and any storage card. Do this before it leaves the house, not after.
- Still working? Sell, give away, or check whether a repair café or men's shed wants it. A working laptop is worth more than its metals.
- Dead? Take it to an e-waste drop-off. Televisions, computers, printers and their peripherals have a free national-scheme route; whitegoods, fridges, air conditioners and other electronics vary by state and site, so follow the state rules below.
Electrical items and electronic devices must not go in the ACT recycling bin, and battery-powered items must not go in any household bin. Drop-off is free at the Mitchell and Mugga Lane resource management centres.
Nearest drop-off: Recyclopaedia — the ACT A to Z guide to recycling, reuse and disposal
Can I put electronics in the bin in the ACT?
No. The ACT Government's rule is that electrical items and electronic devices must not go in your household recycling bin, and battery-powered items must never go in any household bin, because the cells inside them start fires in trucks and sorting facilities. Drop-off at the two resource management centres is free, so the bin is never the answer.
Where can I drop off e-waste in Canberra?
At the two ACT resource management centres, Mitchell and Mugga Lane. Televisions, computers and accessories are taken free under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme. Loose batteries and battery-powered items go free into the hazardous waste area, within the published per-visit limits.
Does e-waste cost anything to drop off in the ACT?
Televisions, computers and their accessories are free under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme. White goods and electrical items that are more than 80 per cent metal go free into the metal recycling area at Mitchell and Mugga Lane. Other electrical items attract a disposal fee, which is set by the ACT Government and worth checking before you drive out.
What should I do before getting rid of a phone or laptop?
Sign out of every account, factory reset the device, and take out the SIM and any storage card while it is still in your hands. A working, wiped laptop is worth selling or giving away, and Goodies Junction at both ACT resource management centres accepts electronics with reuse value. A dead one goes to the drop-off with its battery still inside.
Need it gone this week?
Compare council collection, recycling and pickup options on the fridge and whitegoods removal page for Canberra.