What We Can Recycle For You at Biome
Did you know that you can drop at any Biome store personal care and cosmetics packaging, toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes, wine corks, pens and markers for recycling whether purchased from us or not? These are all items that can not be placed in your household recycling bin, so to save you the worry of what to do with them, we look after it for you! We now also take good coat hangers at our Paddington and Balmoral stores, see more below.
Because at Biome we are committed to operating as zero waste as possible and reducing plastics ending up in our environment, you can also leave with us the packaging from any item you buy in store and we will recycle it for you including soft and hard plastics.
*Please note this is a service for personal use only, not for businesses. Business wishing to recycle items such as pens and CDs should purchase their own Terracycle bin here >
Recycle Cosmetics & Skin Care Packaging
All containers must be completely cleaned out for us to take them from you.
1. Cosmetics e.g. lipstick, lip gloss, mascara, eye shadow, bronzer, foundation, eyeliner, eye shadow, lip liner, and concealer packaging.
2. Hair care e.g. shampoo and conditioner bottles and caps, hair gel tubes, hair spray and hair treatment packaging.
3. Skin care e.g. lip balm, moisturiser, body wash, soap dispensers and tubes, body and hand lotion, tubes and shaving foam packaging.
We send the packaging to TerraCycle, who clean and melt into hard plastic that can be remoulded to make new recycled products.
Please note: Biome cannot accept personal care and cosmetics packaging that haven’t been completely emptied, cut in half where possible, and cleaned out, and we do not have the resources to do this for you. Before bringing in any personal care items to our stores to recycled via TerraCycle, we kindly ask that you please ensure they are empty of product and clean.
Recycle Packaging From Products Purchased in Store
Before you leave the store with your purchases, feel free to take off the packaging and leave with us whether it be soft or hard plastic and cardboard. We send all soft plastics to RedCycle.
We work with our suppliers to have them stop using plastic packaging in the first place.
Recycle Pens, Pencils, Markers, Highlighters
For individuals or householders (not businesses sorry*), bring all your empty pens, markers, highlighters and old pencils to a Biome store and we will send them to TerraCycle for recycling.
You can also post them to us: Biome, 51 Douglas Street, MILTON QLD 4064.
Recycle Toothbrushes & Toothpaste Tubes
All toothpaste tubes must be completely cleaned out for us to take them from you.
Many people do not realise that toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes must not be put in your Council recycling bin. But now, rather than throw them in the rubbish and off to landfill, bring them to Biome for recycling via TerraCycle. At TerraCycle they are shredded and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products. With credit to Colgate for sponsoring this program.

Brisbane City Council Recycling Guide for Households
We can accept: empty toothpaste tubes and caps, toothbrushes, toothbrush and toothpaste tube outer packaging, and floss containers. No Electronic toothbrushes and electronic toothbrush parts allowed.
Recycle Wine Corks
Cork is derived from the bark of the cork oak tree grown in the western Mediterranean region, and must be 25 years old before its first harvest. It is harvested sustainably and actually helps to protect vulnerable cork forests by making them financially viable rather than clear felling for other agriculture. Therefore, we encourage you to actively choose wine bottles with corks!
Recycling cork keeps it out of landfill and saves resources and carbon emissions. We have accepted corks for recycling since we opened our first store in 2005. Corks are given to various organisations that put them to use.
Biome’s Coat Hanger Exchange
As part of Biome’s mission to be part of a sustainable fashion industry, we’ve created a coat hanger exchange at Biome’s Paddington and Balmoral stores where you can drop off clean coat hangers (except dry cleaning hangers*) that are in good working order for others who need them.
For those who need coat hangers, you can take up to six hangers per person. It’s early days, however, so we can’t promise how many hangers will be available when you drop in. Keep an eye on Biome’s Facebook for updates.
Please note that we can only accept hangers at our stores located at 2 Latrobe Tce, Paddington, and 216 Riding Road, Balmoral. Read more about how you can reduce coat hanger waste
*The coat hangers you drop off must be clean, no rust and not broken. We do not accept dry cleaning hangers as they should be returned to the dry cleaners.
Uplift Bra Program – ON HOLD
Please note, that we used to take bras that were sent by Project Uplift to women in developing countries. However, Project Uplift has put a hold on its program at the moment, so we can not accept bras at this time.
*Purchase a TerraCycle Zero Waste Bin for Your Business, Workplace or Organisation
Cork image source: © Mamoula | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos
I work for a recycling company and do quite a bit of research on recycling, mainly printer cartridges but I actually learned something new from your blog today, I didn’t know that you could actually recycle cork from wine bottles, I usually recycle the bottle and bin the cork, can I put the cork in the bottle bin with the bottles or is it a separate waste stream?
Interesting blog, thanks for sharing..
Hi Michael! Thanks for commenting. To answer your question, cork cannot be recycled through your regular curbside collection in Australia. So you can either drop a bag of them to our stores once you have collected a few and we’ll pass them on to be recycled, or if not local to our stores you can search recyclingnearyou.com.au for a closer drop off point.
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I have just cleaned out one of my kitchen drawers and now have a bag full of corks that I had been saving for recycling. Is it okay to post them to you?
Yes, of course! Please post them to 1/51 Douglas Street, Milton QLD 4064. Thank you!
Hi Biome
Wonderful to know there’s a recycling option for some items most wouldn’t think to recycle. Do you have any stores in Sydney? If so, where?
Thanks
Catherine
We don’t have any physical stores in Sydney, sorry, but you can post items to be recycled to us at 1/51 Douglas Street, Milton QLD 4064. We have four stores in Brisbane (Brisbane City, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Paddington and Balmoral) and an online store here > http://www.biome.com.au.
Hi,
I am trying to minimise the number of products I buy with plastic packaging but obviously that is impossible. After reading your blog I was wondering if it would be possible to post mixed bags of items e.g. shampoo and conditioner bottles and soft plastics? With only my husband and myself at home now we don’t create a lot of “non-recyclable” items so it would take me forever to fill one of your boxes.
Regards,
Susan
Hi Susan, you’re welcome to post these items to us.
Thank you for this! I have a question about the blister packs that tablets/medication come in, are they recyclable anywhere?
Thank you so much
Kind regards
Glenda
Not that we’re aware of sorry.
Hi Biome,
I’m starting my journey towards a zero waste lifestyle, and am interested in sending my empty toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner bottles to you for recycling. I wanted to check if they have to be whole, or is it ok to send them to you in pieces? I ask as I usually need to cut open the conditioner bottles to get the last bits from the bottom of the bottle 🙂
Thank you
Please clean them out before sending to us. You can cut them up into pieces if you need to. Thanks!
Hi there, in regards to completely washing out cosmetic items I’ve seen your answer about cutting them to wash them is ok to do but what about tricky items like mascara?
I have contacted Terracycle myself with this same question. They understand It’s impossible to get all the product out of this type of container. Maybe Biome would accept mascaras that are as dried up as possible and ask that the wand cap is screwed on?
I am in Sydney and not found anyone to take old CDs/DVDs. Can I post them to you?
Yes, you can! Please send to 1/51 Douglas Street, Milton QLD 4064
Hi, do you accept for recycling (or know where I can send to) old credit cards/gift cards (cut into pieces), plastic cable tie pieces, plastic bottle tops, the plastic binding stuff used to wrap stacks of newspapers/per bales, single use eye-drop capsules, bread bag plastic ties, and stuff like that?
Best to contact your local council about this.
Can we recycle the violet/miron glass that some beauty products come in? I’ve been told no by a friend, but the Brisbane City Council recycling guide doesn’t say anything yes or no about violet glass. It says you can recycle clear, green or amber glass. Do you know?
It would be best to contact your local council directly about this.
Regards for helping out, great information.
Hi, just want to check if you are still accepting plastic pens and highlighters at your Milton address for recycling. Thank you.
Yes we do. Please refer to this page for details > https://www.biome.com.au/content/242-recycle-at-biome
Hi there,
With regard to your CD recycling – do you take the cases as well or just the CD? Regardless an awesome service!
We no longer accept media storage unfortunately. Please refer to this page > https://www.biome.com.au/content/242-recycle-at-biome
Hi, can you recycle large plastic storage containers or know anyone who does? One of ours broke to bits and it seems like a lot of plastic to go in the bin…
Best to contact your local council about this.
Hi – are you still accepting pens and highlighters at Milton address?
Yes we do. Please see this page for details > https://www.biome.com.au/content/242-recycle-at-biome
Can you still recycle cork if I post it to you?
Yes we can. Please see this page for details > https://www.biome.com.au/content/242-recycle-at-biome
Hi will you still be recycling beauty products now that the Loreal -Terracycle partnership is ending At the end of July?
Yes, Biome still accepts beauty products for recycling. We request that they are empty and cleaned out.
Hi. Just wondering if you also accept DVD cases and CD cases, as well as the discs themselves?
Regards
Serena
Biome no longer accepts media storage for recycling. Please refer to this page for the most up to date information > https://www.biome.com.au/content/242-recycle-at-biome