Everything you need to know about recycling power tools
WARNING! Many power tools contain batteries which are a hazardous waste item and a fire hazard. Do not put them in household recycling or garbage bins.
Power Tools includes: DrillsGrindersSandersTable sawsNail gunsPaint sprayersChainsawsHammer drillsMiter sawsElectric planers
At Latrobe Valley ewaste and recycling service we offer collection and drop off of all size ewaste and whitegoods. All sizes welcome from personal to large industry companies, its free to call us to organise collection, drop-offs or just arrive at the listed location with your goods.
We are the most trusted JUNK and Rubbish Removal service in Australia and the reason why is that we know how to make cleaning up and getting rid of your RUBBISH and JUNK as easy as possible!
At JUNK all you need to do is to let us know how much Rubbish and JUNK you have and we will handle the rest! Just point and shoot and we will make your Rubbish and JUNK disappear.
Our JUNK Crew will come to your home, business, worksite, factory, or office to load the RUBBISH and JUNK into our vehicle and take it to our own Recycling & Resource Recovery Centre to sort and recycle your old JUNK & RUBBISH responsibly.
Promoting environmentally friendly practices and responsible e-waste recycling services.
Pickups and Collections, Data Destruction, E-Waste Documentation and Policies and Education.
SPC eCycle provides a wide range of E-waste recycling services. We recycle nearly all categories of e waste. We offer free drop-off and conditional free pickup. You can also request further services such as data wiping and data center deconstructing. Here at SPC we try to make your work as easy as possible. You can just give us a call and we will do the rest of the work for you.
Welcome to E-waste Victoria, your partner for responsible electronic waste recycling in Melbourne, Australia. Our cutting-edge facilities and expert team ensure the eco-friendly disposal of electronic devices. From collection to processing, we extract valuable materials for reuse, adhering to the highest environmental standards. Data security is paramount, and our secure data destruction guarantees privacy. We collaborate with businesses, offering tailored e-waste management solutions and driving awareness about responsible disposal. Choose E-waste Victoria to transform electronic waste into a valuable resource, contributing to a cleaner, greener future.
Primarily Bendigo E Waste, is committed to repair or recovery of hardware and materials in the Electronics space. We offer collections and Free Drop Off as well as data destruction as part of our services. Ideally we restore as much hardware as possible, prior to any recovery of commodities from items beyond repair. Check out our website for the complete range of services on offer.
The Junk Crew aims to be quicker than the council and cheaper and more convenient than a skip bin. We are more than just your typical junk removal company. Located in Melbourne, Australia, we are a youthful, dynamic, and energetic team, driven by a passion for positively impacting our community and the environment. Unlike other junk removal services that may prioritise quantity, our core mission is to minimize waste and enhance sustainability. We achieve this by focusing on recycling every element of our junk removal process.
We firmly believe in the adage that one person’s junk is another person’s treasure. This belief drives our approach to every item we collect, ensuring it is meticulously hand-sorted with a strong commitment to recycling, rehoming, or donating wherever feasible. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to separate recyclable and salvageable items, ensuring they are given a new lease of life.
Our services encompass a wide range of junk removal, from furniture disposal to electronic waste removal in Melbourne. We handle every type of junk with the utmost care and responsibility. Each load we manage represents a step towards a cleaner and greener planet. Our goal is to minimize our environmental footprint, affirming our role in keeping our Melbourne community clean and sustainable.
Power tools should never be put in your recycling bin at home. Currently, Australia doesn’t have a national recycling scheme for electrical products, however, there are recycling options.
Many commercial recyclers will accept power tools for recycling. Use the directory on this page to see if there is one in your area. Call the recycler in advance to check if they will accept the product you want to recycle.
Some councils offer e-waste recycling events or permanent drop-off locations where you can drop off electrical products including power tools. Check directly with your council to see if they offer this service.
Check with the manufacturer of the product to see if they have a take-back service.
If you are not able to find a recycler or a collection point, contact your council for advice on whether the power tool can be put in your garbage bin. Some states and territories have landfill bans on e-waste.
Do not put the power tool in the garbage bin if it contains a battery. Batteries in bins are fire hazards. If you can remove the battery from the power tool, the battery can be recycled separately. Find a battery recycler.
Why recycle?
Power tools, both rechargeable and plug-in varieties, are classified as e-waste (electrical waste), which is the fastest growing waste stream in Australia. Recycling power tools enables the recovery of various metals and plastics and helps prevent toxic heavy metals from leaching into the environment via landfills.
A typical power tool contains a range of materials including iron, steel, aluminium, copper and various plastics, which can all be recycled. Sending power tools to landfill contributes to environmental problems such as the non-sustainable use of resources and the contamination of groundwater caused by toxic metals leaching into the soil.
Power tools that contain rechargeable batteries are particularly dangerous, as the batteries contain highly toxic metals such as nickel and cadmium. These batteries are classified as hazardous waste and should always be removed from the power tool and recycled separately. Some recyclers will accept both the power tool and the battery, however, if they do not accept batteries, they can be dropped off for recycling at designated battery collection points.
What happens to them?
E-waste recyclers disassemble the power tools and sort the materials for recycling. If there are problems identifying and separating materials into specific types, the complete tool is shredded by more conventional methods and only metals are recovered. This can be a problem with older tools where materials have not been coded or identified.
The nickel-cadmium batteries are sent to an approved recycling facility where the nickel, steel and cadmium are recovered. The recovered metals are made into other products, while the cadmium can be returned to battery manufacturers to create a fully closed loop recycling system.
Tool libraries
Tool libraries (sometimes referred to as Libraries of Things), are community-run centres that allow members to hire power tools, just like a book from a library. After paying an annual fee, members can hire anything at the centre for free. This sharing system reduces the need for individuals to purchase items like power tools, which they may only use once or twice a year. Tool libraries often have a variety of goods for hire such as camping gear, fishing equipment and kitchen appliances.
If you have a power tool that is in good working order that you no longer need, consider donating it to your local tool library so it can be used by your community. This is a far better environmental outcome than recycling the power tool, as it ensures the precious materials and resources used to make the product are kept in use at their highest value.
