F-H
Face masks (disposable)
- Avoid by using a reusable cloth facemask in line with DHHS directions-external site
- Dispose of in your household waste bin
Fast food/processed food leftovers
- Recycle in your Bokashi bin or green cone solar composter
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Fats and oils
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Feathers (natural)
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Fish and chips papers
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Fish and seafood waste (raw or cooked fish and seafood, prawn and crab shells)
- Recycle in your Bokashi bin or green cone solar composter
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Note: Cooked bones and oyster shells need to be disposed of in your household waste bin
Flexible/soft plastics (bags and wrappings)
- Soft plastics can no longer be recycled through REDcycle at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. If you have space, hold on to your soft plastics until further updates become available. Alternatively, soft plastics can be disposed of in the kerbside waste bin or as waste at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre.
Flowers
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Fluorescent bulbs and tubes
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
Flyscreens
- Reuse by selling, swapping, or giving away
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Recycle by booking a hard waste collection
Foam underlay
- Dispose of at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Dispose of by booking a hard waste collection
Food scraps and waste
- Avoid through smart shopping – plan ahead, write a list and stick to it. Store food correctly, use left-overs and keep track of your food supplies
- Recycle in your compost bin or worm farm, compost bin, worm farm, Bokashi bin or green cone solar composter
- Recycle by feeding to chickens and other pets (where appropriate)
- Recycle almost all food waste in your FOGO bin
Fridges/freezers
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Recycle by booking a hard waste collection
Fruit and vegetable waste
- Avoid through smart shopping - plan ahead, write a list and stick to it. Store food correctly, use leftovers and keep track of your food supplies
- Reuse vegetable skills to make a stock or soup
- Recycle by feeding to chickens and other pets (where appropriate)
- Recycle in your compost bin or worm farm, compost bin, worm farm, Bokashi bin or green cone solar composter
- Recycle almost all food waste in your FOGO bin
Note: remove the plastic stickers on fruit and vegetables, and dispose of them in your household waste bin
Fruit net bags (plastic)
- Avoid waste by buying fruit loose and using your own bags
- Reuse as a scourer for cleaning
- Soft plastics can no longer be recycled through REDcycle at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. If you have space, hold on to your soft plastics until further updates become available. Alternatively, soft plastics can be disposed of in the kerbside waste bin or as waste at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre.
Frying pan (stove-top)
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
Frying pan (electric)
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle by booking a hard waste collection
Furniture
- Reuse by selling online, giving away or donate to your local charity or op-shop
- Dispose of at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Dispose of by booking a hard waste collection
Garden waste (green waste)
- Recycle by adding to your compost
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Recycle by booking a bundled green waste collection
Garlic (flesh and skins)
- Recycle in your Bokashi bin or green cone solar composter
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Garden clippings
- Recycle by adding to your compost bin
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
- Recycle at Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
Gas bottles and canisters (empty only)
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle through Detox your Home-external site
- Note: we do not accept disposable butane gas canisters or helium bottles. Return helium bottles to where they were purchased from.
Glass (not bottles or jars)
Examples include window panes, wine glasses and picture frame glass.
- Dispose of in your household waste bin
- Dispose of at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Dispose of large pieces by booking a hard waste collection (wrap in paper or cardboard)
Glass bottles and jars (without lids; broken is ok but try to avoid breaking)
- Reuse as water bottles or vases
- Reuse for food or storing small items
- Recycle in your recycling bin
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle at the Kew Depot Recycling Drop-off Centre
Glasses (spectacles/sunglasses)
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Reuse through the Lion’s ‘Recycle for Sight’ program-external site
Glossy paper (eg. brochures, magazines - remove staples)
- Recycle in your recycling bin
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle at the Kew Depot Recycling Drop-off Centre
Gloves (rubber or vinyl)
- Avoid waste by using reusable options
- Dispose of in your household waste bin
Grass clippings
- Recycle by adding to your compost
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
Grease-proof paper
- Avoid by using nonstick pans instead
- Dispose of in your household waste bin
Hair (animal or human)
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
Halogen downlights
- Dispose of in your household waste bin - wrap in paper first. These are non-toxic and safe in the waste bin.
Note: these are NOT accepted in the e-waste collections or DETOX collections.
Hay
- Recycle by adding to your compost bin
- Recycle in your FOGO bin
- Recycle at Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
Headphones
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle at one of our local e-waste collection banks
Hearing aids
- Reuse through the Lion’s ‘Recycle for Sight’ program-external site
- Reuse through Recycled Sound-external site
Hi-fi sets/stereos
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle by booking a hard waste collection
Home security systems
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle at one of our local e-waste collection banks
Hot water units
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply)
- Recycle by booking a hard waste collection
Hose (garden hose)
- Reuse for other handy garden-related projects (for example to cover sharp metal edges)
- Dispose of in your household waste bin
House wiring
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (in the e-waste recycling skip)
Household chemicals
- Recycle through Detox your Home-external site
Hygiene products
- Avoid waste by using reusable options, for example cups, period pants and washable pads
- Dispose of in your household waste bin