Library recycling hub

Inside the foyer of the Hamra Centre Library, you’ll find a handy place to dispose of items that can’t go in your recycling bin. The library recycling hub is where you can recycle batteries, light globes, printer cartridges, mobile phones, small E-waste items, eyeglasses, x-rays, blister packs and plastic bread tags.

The hub is open during library opening hours.

Light globes

We accept small household fluorescent light globes at the recycling hub. These are taken to the Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre for processing. From here the globes are sent on to specialist recyclers. The small amount of mercury found in many types of light globes can be recovered and used again. Recycling fluorescent household globes can also recover other valuable materials like ceramic, glass, aluminium and phosphor that are used in products like fertilizer, aluminium cans and insulation batts.

For more information visit adelaidewasteandrecyclingcentre.com.au

Note: Fluorescent tubes not accepted in the hub as they are brittle and break easily. When broken, toxic mercury and phosphor escapes from the tube. Take these tubes directly to Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre, 181 Morphett Road, North Plympton.

Batteries

Recycle at the hub any brand of AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9V and button batteries - both rechargeable and non-rechargeable. Also accepted are non-alkaline batteries (nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium) as long as they are not leaking.

Batteries are sent to Ecobatt who specialise in the recovery of re-usable metals found in the batteries like copper, aluminium and steel. Many of these recovered metals are used as raw material inputs for the company’s manufacturing business. Minerals such as manganese, zinc, lithium, cobalt, and nickel are in high demand for a variety of applications. For instance, some of the minerals recovered from batteries are used in the fertilizer and chemical industries.

For more details visit ecobatt.net.

Note: Car batteries are not accepted. For details of where to take car batteries search the A-Z guide of waste and recycling.

Printer cartridges

The recycling hub accepts printer cartridges (full or empty), ink jet cartridges, waste toner units, drum units, toner bottles and other printer consumables.

To recycle these items we have partnered with Planet Ark through Close the Loop. The cartridges are sent to Close the Loop who recycle and re-purpose them in different ways. Many manufacturers collect the used cartridges from Close the Loop for re-filling. The remainder are processed by Close the Loop to separate the plastic and other materials. Cartridges are then shredded for use as a quality additive to road asphalt.

For more information visit closetheloop.com.au.

Note: Waste ink from machines, screen printing inks and ink cartridge packaging (plastic or cardboard) are not accepted.

Mobile phones

Before recycling your mobile phone at the recycling hub, erase or remove any data cards. Be sure to also reset your phone to factory settings to remove any trace of your private information and protect your personal data.

Mobile phones are sent to Ecocyle. The phones are disassembled with metal, glass and plastic all separated. These parts are recycled to make new products or are converted back into raw materials. For more details visit ecocycle.com.au.

E-waste

The recycling hub accepts small e-waste items such as phone charger cables and plugs, network devices, computer mice, digital watches, portable hard drives and flash drives.

We send these items to the Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre. From here they go to recyclers who specialise in separating the metal, glass, printed circuit boards, plastic and potentially hazardous materials. These components are then shipped to manufacturers.

For more information visit adelaidewasteandrecyclingcentre.com.au.

Eyeglasses

Donate your old spectacles and prescription sunglasses at the recycling hub. These donated eyeglasses are collected by the Lions Club of Edwardstown who send them sent to Lions Recycle for Sight Australia based in Queensland. Here the spectacles are repaired and refurbished before being donated to disadvantaged people overseas who can’t afford new glasses.

For more details visit lionsclubs.org.au/our-impact/recycle-for-sight-australia.

Note: Cloth and plastic sunglasses cases are not accepted.

X-rays

Bring your old x-rays into the recycling hub and they will be sent to Ecocycle who specialise in the recovery of silver in X-rays, photographs and lithographic film.

For more information visit ecocycle.com.au.

Blister packs

Bring your tablet blister packs into the library recycle hub to be sent to Pharmacycle. At Pharmacycle’s processing facility in Sydney residual medicine is removed and processed safely for disposal. The empty blister packs are then put through a series of mechanical processes to separate the aluminium foil seal from the plastic blister. The steps include shredding, grinding, air-density separation, and finally electrostatic separation. Once separated, the aluminium and plastic material is stored until a large quantity is ready to be sent to manufacturers.

For more information visit pharmacycle.com.au.

Bread tags

The bread tags you bring into the recycling hub will be donated to a unique venture - Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs. The donated bread tags are sent to a processing facility in Robe where they are recycled into new plastic products. The money raised from the sale of these products is used to fund the purchase of wheelchairs to support disabled people in South Africa and Papua New Guinea.

For more details visit ozbreadtagsforwheelchairs.org.au.