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.  Central Coast 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 Note – 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.  Fluorescent tubes and light globes must be clean and unbroken to be accepted.

Batteries, light globes and mobile phones (and accessories) are able to be dropped off at:

• Council libraries
• Waste Management Facilities – Buttonderry and Woy Woy
• Council’s Administration Building, Wyong (50 Hely Street, Wyong).

The free recycling of batteries and lamps 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.

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.