Armidale Waste Management Facility

The Community Recycling Centre (CRC) is a permanent drop-off centre for common household problem wastes (up to 20L or 20kg) that can't be collected via council kerbside waste and recycling collection services. ARC householders can drop off problem wastes at these centres year-round, FREE of charge. For more information on the CRC at the AWMF, flyers in our Armidale and Guyra Customer Service Centres.

Why should I use these centres? 
Most of the items accepted at the CRC can be reused or recycled. Sorting waste and taking it to a recycling centre helps save water, energy, other valuable natural resources, and helps improve recycling rates.

What happens to the items after they have been dropped off?

•  Paints are mixed with other waste solvents and used as an alternative to fuel in cement kilns. The metal containers are recycled.
•  Lead acid batteries are sent to recyclers where the lead, acid and plastic are recovered and recycled.
•  Fluorescent tubes and globes contain mercury. Recyclers crush the tubes to separate the phosphor powder from the glass. They feed the powder through receiving containers, where it is filtered to capture fugitive mercury emissions. The mercury is then separated by distillation and sold for a range of industrial uses. The metals are also recycled.
•  Gas bottles have residual gas captured for reuse. Undamaged bottles are retested, restamped and entered into the hire industry. Damaged bottles are punctured and recycled as scrap metal.
•  Used oils are processed to become a lubricant or used for waste to energy.

The Second-Hand Good Shop is located in the Armidale Waste Management Facility. Reusable second-hand goods can be dropped off during the AWMF operating hours.

Note: Items sold at the second-hand goods shop are subject to quality inspection. 

The City to Soil program is a composting initiative by the Armidale Regional Council. It aims to convert organic waste from households into high-quality compost for the local community. Residents are provided with kitchen caddies and biodegradable bags to collect food scraps, which are then placed in green-lid FOGO bins along with garden waste for kerbside collection. This program helps reduce landfill waste and promotes sustainable waste management practices. 

For more information about Armidale Regional Council's unique City to Soil composting program, please see the City to Soil(PDF, 387KB) explainer flyer. If you would like a hard copy flyer, please visit Council's Customer Service Centres. 

In partnership with Council’s recycling contractor, Armidale Recycling Services, Council provides a free public recycling drop-off area within the Armidale Waste Management Facility. Extra recycling which cannot fit into the kerbside crates such as clear film or bubble wrap, paper, cardboard, and recyclable containers can be brought directly to this facility at no charge. The recyclables are further separated based on material type and sent to processors to be turned into new products.

For more details about what can be accepted at the facility or in your kerbside crates for recycling, see Black Recycling Crates. 

Contamination reduces the quality of recyclables, preventing these materials from being effectively turned into new products. It is essential that materials separated into black recycling crates do not contain contamination so that Council’s recycling contractor can continue to ensure the high quality of recyclables collected from kerbside recycling crates in the Armidale LGA.

The NSW Container Deposit Scheme, 'Return and Earn' is the largest litter reduction scheme introduced in NSW.

People can get a 10-cent refund when they return an eligible drink container to one of over 600 return points across NSW.

In our LGA, Reverse Vending Machines are located at:

• Armidale CBD (225 Beardy St)
• Armidale Waste Management Facility (108 Long Swamp Road)
• Guyra Bowling Club (192 Bradley Street).

Find out more about the 'Return and Earn' scheme and locations HERE