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Disposing hazardous waste
Learn how to responsibly dispose of toxic and potentially harmful household items including chemicals batteries globes medicines needles and sharps.

Household chemicals

In conjunction with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), we host free bi-annual Household Chemical CleanOut events across two locations (Kincumber and Long Jetty). Upcoming Household Chemical CleanOut events are listed in our event calendar. If there is no current listing, the next event dates are still to be confirmed.

To find out more information on upcoming chemical collection dates, accepted products or storing/transporting unwanted chemicals, refer to the NSW Household Chemical CleanOut website.

This project is a NSW Environment Protection Authority Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, funded from the waste levy.

Community Recycling Centre

The Community Recycling Centre is located at the Buttonderry Waste Management Facility. The facility is purpose-built for residential customers only. To see which problem items are accepted for free at the Community Recycling Centre, visit the EPA Community Recycling Centre website.

Batteries and light globes

Batteries and fluorescent lights contain harmful elements such as mercury, alkaline and lead acid, which can cause major environmental hazards and can also pose health risks if they end up in landfill. 

Council has a free recycling program for residents to bring in their unwanted batteries, light globes, mobile phones and fluorescent tubes to nominated collection points.

  • Please do not place these items into your general waste bins, as they may catch fire in the waste collection trucks or onsite at our landfills and pose a safety threat to workers or other community members in the vicinity.  
  • Before throwing out anything battery operated such as children’s toys, laptops, vapes, solar powered devices or hand tools, remember to remove the batteries first. 
  • Please remove the battery, tape the terminals with clear sticky tape and dispose of the battery safely. 
  • Fluorescent tubes and light globes must be clean and unbroken to be accepted.

Drop-off locations

Batteries, light globes and mobile phones (and accessories) are able to be dropped off at Buttonderry and Woy Woy Waste Management Facilities

Batteries can also be dropped off for recycling at local ‘B-cycle’ drop off locations.

The free recycling of batteries and light globes is made possible by funding through the NSW EPA's Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.

Needles, sharps and syringes

Central Coast Council offers free community sharps, needle and syringe disposal bins that can be found on Gosford and Wyong hospital grounds, within council amenity buildings, parks and reserves (and in non-commercial quantities). Medical sharps can also be taken to one of the participating pharmacies in a puncture-resistant container (no glass containers will be accepted). Specific purpose containers are available from participating pharmacies.

For needles, sharps or syringes found within our community, please either contact our Customer Service Centre on 02 4306 7900, who will lodge a request to report an issue or call the Needle Clean Up Hotline on 1800 633 353 and organise for safe removal and disposal.  

Council recommends that you do not attempt to physically remove any needles as this will place yourself and our Council staff in serious risk of needle stick injury.

Pharmacies accepting used syringes:

Bateau BayCresthaven Pharmacy – Shop 8, 161-173 Cresthaven Avenue
Berkeley ValeBerkeley Vale Pharmacy – 252 Lakeridge Avenue
BudgewoiTenth Ave Pharmacy - 56a Tenth Avenue
ChittawayChittaway Pharmacy - Shop 4 Chittaway Centre, Chittaway Road
East GosfordChemcare - 75 Victoria Avenue
East GosfordEast Gosford Pharmacy - 69 Victoria Street
Erina Fair Shopping Centre (Terrigal Drive)Health Save Chemist (Shop 343-344)
Erina Fair Shopping Centre (Terrigal Drive)Blooms The Chemist (Shop T74)
Erina Fair Shopping Centre (Terrigal Drive)Chemist Warehouse (Shop T1)
Ettalong BeachEttalong Beach
GosfordChemist Warehouse - 125 Mann Street Amcal Phillips Pharmacy – Level 1, Imperial Shopping Centre
GorokanGorokan Pharmacy - 70 Wallarah Road
GwandalanGwandalan Pharmacy - 65 Gamban Road
KanwalAmcal Max - Kanwal Village Shop 1/260 Wallarah Road
KincumberPriceline Kincumber - Shop 4, Kincumber Shopping Centre, Avoca Drive
Lake MunmorahFriendly Pharmacy – Shop MO2 275 Pacific Highway
NoravillePharmacy
OurimbahAdvantage Pharmacy - Shop 3, 35 Pacific Highway
San RemoPriceline Pharmacy Northlakes - Shop 18, 21 Pacific Highway
SaratogaBlooms the Chemist - Shop 11 Village Road
The EntranceThe Entrance Chemsave Pharmacy – 40-48 The Entrance Road
Toowoon BayToowoon Bay Pharmacy - 96 Toowoon Bay Road
ToukleyAmcal Pharmacy - 237 Main Road
ToukleyBeachcomber Pharmacy – Shop 4, 45 Canton Beach Road
TuggerahPriceline Pharmacy - Shop 1147-1149 Westfield Shopping Centre
TuggerahTerry White Chemmart - Shop 1070 Westfield Shopping Centre
Umina BeachBlooms the Chemist – 228 West Street
WadalbaAmcal Max - 1/2 Edward Stinson Avenue
WamberalWamberal Pharmacist Advice - 658 The Entrance Road
West GosfordAmcal - West Gosford Shopping Centre Shop 17 299 Brisbane Water Drive
WoongarrahWarnervale Chemist Care - 3 Mary McKillop Drive
Woy WoyKuoch Chemist - 43 Blackwall Road
Woy WoyClarkes Amcal Pharmacy - Shop 4 Peninsula Plaza Blackwall Road
Woy WoyPriceline Pharmacy - Shop 6 Deepwater Plaza George Street
WyongOptimal Pharmacy Plus - Shop 20-21 Wyong Village Central
WyongBlooms The Chemist - 74 Pacific Highway

Council Amenity Buildings and Parks/Reserves with a Sharps disposal Unit:

Canton BeachPlayground - 9 Beach Parade
GorokanWallarah Point Reserve, Wallarah Road
GosfordGosford Leagues Club Park, 10 Vaughan Avenue
GosfordKibble Park, 118 Donnison Street
GosfordBurns Place Toilets, 200 Mann Street
GosfordDonnison Street Carpark
Killarney ValeColes Carpark, 144 Wyong Road
Long Jetty154 Tuggerah Parade
Long JettyLong Jetty Foreshore Reserve, Archbold Road
Shelly BeachSwadling Street Reserve
The EntranceThe Entrance Visitor Centre, 46 Marine Parade
The EntranceKaragi Point Reserve – 1 Hutton Road
ToukleyToukley Village Green, Ron Alt Lane
ToukleyToukley Gardens, 224 Main Road
ToukleyOsborne Park Playground – Peel Street
UminaUmina Library, 275 West Street / Bullion Street
WatanobbiApex Playground – Watanobbi Road
Woy WoyWoy Woy Tidal Baths, Brick Wharf Road
Wyong8 Rankens Court

For Visitors to the Central Coast:

Budgewoi2a Weemala Street, Budgewoi
Canton Beach1 Oleander Street, Canton Beach
Norah Head22/30 Victoria Street, Norah Head
Toowoon Bay1 Koongara Street, Toowoon Bay
PatongaBay Street, Patonga (please discuss with staff onsite)
Council also offers visitors staying at our holiday parks access to disposal bins located within the toilet blocks on site, with the exception of Patonga Camping Grounds (for assistance please directly speak with our counter staff).

Marine Flares

You can safely dispose of your old flares at one of the Roads and Maritime collections in November, January and April. Most flares have a use-by date of three years, and they must be replaced before the expiry date. Dates and locations of upcoming collections are available on the 1coast website.

Medicines

Unwanted or expired medicines should be returned to a local pharmacy for safe disposal by high temperature incineration. Medicines should not be disposed of in the general waste bin or poured into the sink or toilet as this could result in environmental damage.

For more information, visit the Return Unwanted Medicines Project web site.

Asbestos

Asbestos can have serious health implications if inappropriately handled. To learn more about where asbestos might be located in your home and how to manage it safely, visit our Asbestos page.

Central Coast asbestos disposal facilities

Asbestos originating from the Central Coast Local Government Area can be disposed of at our Buttonderry and Woy Woy Waste Management Facilities. For more information, visit our Waste Facilities page.

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