F-H
Face masks (disposable)
- Avoid by using a reusable cloth facemask in line with DHHS directions
- 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 cooking oil absorbed in paper towel or newspaper
Feathers (natural)
Fire extinguisher
Recycle through Detox your Home.
Fish and chips papers
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: oyster shells need to be disposed of in your household waste bin.
Flexible/soft plastics
We are temporarily accepting soft plastics for recycling from Boroondara residents at 2 collection points. To find out more, visit our Temporary soft plastic recycling service page.
Flowers
- Recycle by adding to your compost bin
- 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
- Give it another life by posting on Boroondara Hard Rubbish Rehome Facebook group, Facebook Marketplace, Ziilch or Gumtree.
- 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
- We are temporarily accepting soft plastics for recycling from Boroondara residents at 2 collection points. To find out more, visit our Temporary soft plastic recycling service page.
- Make sure any metal clips are removed.
Frying pan – including non-stick variety (stove-top)
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Recycle at Tefal
- Recycle at Kitchen Warehouse
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply).
- Dispose of in your household waste bin.
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 donating to your local charity or op-shop (see our Op shops in Boroondara page)
- Reuse by donating to Rotary Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network (RIMERN) or You Matter
- Give it another life by posting on Boroondara Hard Rubbish Rehome Facebook group, Facebook Marketplace, Ziilch or Gumtree.
- 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 up to 9kg (empty only)
- Recycle at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre
- Recycle through Detox your Home.
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 (lids can stay on – broken is okay 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 by taking to Specsavers for the Lions Australia Recycle for Sight program
- Reuse by taking to OPSM for the OneSight program
- Dispose of in your household waste bin.
Glossy paper (e.g. brochures, magazines)
- 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.
Golf balls
- Recycle at Golf Ball Recycling
- Dispose of in your household waste bin.
Golf bags
- Give it another life by posting on Boroondara Hard Rubbish Rehome Facebook group, Facebook Marketplace, Ziilch or Gumtree.
- Dispose at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (fees apply).
- Dispose of by booking a hard waste collection.
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)
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 Recycled Sound.
Hi-fi sets/stereos
- Reuse by donating to your local charity or op-shop
- Give it another life by posting on Boroondara Hard Rubbish Rehome Facebook group, Facebook Marketplace, Ziilch or Gumtree.
- 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
See 'Chemicals (Household)' on our Recycling and waste guide C page.
It is illegal to put flammable items in any household or street bins. Flammable chemicals are toxic and can explode. They can cause major fires in our collection trucks and at our waste processing facilities. Please only recycle household chemicals using the above method.
Hygiene products
- Avoid waste by using reusable options, for example cups, period pants and washable pads
- Dispose of in your household waste bin.