Waste centres now open across region

Northern Inland Regional Waste (NIRW) is advising households that services have now resumed at all Community Recycling Centres.

Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) are permanent drop-off centres for common household problem wastes that can’t be collected via council kerbside waste and recycling collection services. Householders can drop off problem wastes at CRCs all year round, free of charge.

A fire at Cleanaway’s St Mary’s chemical waste facility on February 4, 2025, had disrupted household problem waste disposal services across NSW, impacting Household Chemical CleanOut events and Community Recycling Centre (CRC) operations.

The St Mary’s facility is a key processing site for household problem waste, including paint, gas bottles, batteries, cooking oils, and other materials commonly collected from CleanOut events and CRCs, services jointly run by local councils and the NSW EPA.

Due to the temporary closure of the St Mary’s facility, the following services were impacted locally across the New England North West NSW region:

• Household Chemical CleanOut events that were scheduled for March 2025

• Community Recycling Centre (CRC) services were closed or operating with reduced services

The NSW EPA has been working with Cleanaway and local councils to resume all services now that it is safe to do so.

Northern Inland Regional Waste (NIRW) are also working to reschedule the Household Chemical CleanOut events for later this year. This mobile collection service helps you safely dispose of a range of household chemical products, including household cleaners, pool and hobby chemicals and pesticides. CleanOut events are usually held annually across the region. New dates to be advised soon.

All residents in the New England North West region can drop off problem wastes at their local Community Recycling Centre (CRC) all year round, free of charge.

What can you take to a CRC?

• Paint

• Motor and other oils

• Household batteries

• Gas bottles

• Smoke detectors

• Fire extinguishers

• Car batteries

• Fluoro globes and tubes

• Aerosols

Only household quantities of these materials will be accepted. As a guide, this is a maximum container of 20 litres or 20 kilograms for each waste type.

Handle and transport your items carefully. Protect your vehicle by placing items on a protective sheet or tray in the boot to capture any leakages or breakages.

Most of the items accepted at Community Recycling Centres can be reused or recycled. Sorting waste and taking it to a recycling centre:

• Helps improve recycling rates

• Saves water, energy and other valuable natural resources

There are 11 CRCs in operation across the region including Armidale and Guyra, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Inverell, Moree, Narrabri, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Uralla and Walcha.