Recycling in the Shire of Northam

Northam Transfer Station

The Shire of Northam offers a range of free recycling options;

Mixed Recyclables 

Cardboard

please ensure to empty your box to remove packing materials, such as Styrofoam or packing peanuts. Flatten your cardboard box and pop it in the cardboard recycling bin.

Scrap Metal

Scrap steel, including fridges, freezers, ovens, washing machines, microwaves, fans, wire, light gauge steel, metal guttering, alloys and car bodies.

Car, Truck & Motorbike Batteries

These can be dropped on the pallets found in the open shelter.

Clean Fill

Clean fill is accepted free of charge at both our Old Quarry Road and Inkpen Road Waste Management Facilities.

The Shire of Northam is always looking for clean fill for use within its landfill facilities. 

Clean fill is sand or soil with some additional extraneous material.  If you are not sure whether your material qualifies, we encourage you to contact the Old Quarry Waste Management Facility on 9621 1795, visit the Inkpen Road Facility, or contact the Shire of Northam’s Waste Management Officer on 9622 6100. 

Waste Oil

Waste Oil Domestic only less than <30L.  You must pour your own waste oil into the Waste Oil Facility and either take your plastic container home with you or dispose of it in the bins provided adjacent.

E-Waste 

TVs, Computers, Laptops, Hard Drives, Monitors, Printers, Scanners, Faxes, Photocopiers, Speakers, Keyboards, Mice, Joysticks, Mobile Phones, i-Pods, UPS Systems, CD & Floppy Drives, Electronic Cables & Wiring, Circuit Boards & Plotters.

Waste Tyres

Various sizes see Shire’s Fees and Charges

DrumMUSTER

The DrumMuster facility at the Old Quarry Road Waste Management Facility is a permanent facility and drums can be dropped off at any time during normal opening hours. 

We recommend calling the gatehouse on (08) 9621 1795 and making an appointment if you are dropping off more than 50 drums.

DrumMuster is a program that recycles clean and dry drums from growers, farmers and other chemical users throughout the country.

Containers must be triple rinsed or cleaned with high pressure and left to dry with their lids removed. Any drums which have residue still present, inside or out, will be rejected.  All drums must display the DrumMuster logo somewhere on the body of the container.

The drums are collected and crushed or shredded and transformed into practical items such as plastic cable covers, wheelie bins and irrigation pipes. 

To learn more about DrumMuster program, go to: www.drummuster.com.au.

Household Batteries & Light Globes / Tubes / Printer Cartridges

These can be dropped off at the Northam Re-Store to be sent off for recycling. The Shire of Northam strongly advises against landfilling these materials.

Inkpen Road Waste Management Facility

Mixed Recyclables 

Cardboard

please ensure to empty your box to remove packing materials, such as Styrofoam or packing peanuts. Flatten your cardboard box and pop it in the cardboard recycling bin.

Scrap Metal

Scrap steel, including fridges, freezers, ovens, washing machines, microwaves, fans, wire, light gauge steel, metal guttering, alloys and car bodies.

Car, Truck & Motorbike Batteries

These can be dropped on the pallets found in the open shelter.

Clean Fill

Clean fill is accepted free of charge at both our Old Quarry Road and Inkpen Road Waste Management Facilities.

The Shire of Northam is always looking for clean fill for use within its landfill facilities. 

Clean fill is sand or soil with some additional extraneous material.  If you are not sure whether your material qualifies, we encourage you to contact the Old Quarry Waste Management Facility on 9621 1795, visit the Inkpen Road Facility, or contact the Shire of Northam’s Waste Management Officer on 9622 6100. 

Waste Oil

Waste Oil Domestic only less than <30L.  You must pour your own waste oil into the Waste Oil Facility and either take your plastic container home with you or dispose of it in the bins provided adjacent.

E-Waste

TVs, Computers, Laptops, Hard Drives, Monitors, Printers, Scanners, Faxes, Photocopiers, Speakers, Keyboards, Mice, Joysticks, Mobile Phones, i-Pods, UPS Systems, CD & Floppy Drives, Electronic Cables & Wiring, Circuit Boards & Plotters.

Waste Tyres

Various sizes see Shire’s Fees and Charges

Northam Library

Home Recyclables 

Containers for Change

Which containers are eligible for a refund?

Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a refund. To be eligible the product must be included in the Western Australian scheme.

View list of eligible containers

How it works

Sign up for your own member number to receive your refund via a direct deposit into your bank account by visiting Containers for Change (WA)
Start collecting your eligible containers
Drop off your eligible containers to the refund point
The containers are counted and recorded by the operator who transfers money electronically to your nominated bank account.

Fight the fill from the palm of your hand

The new Containers for Change app can be downloaded from the App Store or on Google Play. It is a great tool to access on your electronic device to:

Find the closest Containers for Change refund point 
Scan to check that your 10c containers can be returned to a Containers for Change refund point
Save multiple member numbers to your wallet and access them with the tap of a finger
Learn top tips on how to collect, return and donate your 10c containers
Track the number of 10c containers you've saved, the money you've earned, and your charitable donations

Avon Valley Cash for Containers

Avon Valley Cash for Containers is your local refund point found within the townsite of Northam.

Find out more!

Household Hazardous Waste

What is household hazardous waste?

Household hazardous waste includes unwanted household products that contain chemicals or substances that can be harmful to you, your family, your pets, or the environment.

Hazardous waste can be dangerous at every stage of its ‘life’; this is because these materials could:

• Cause poisoning or severe burns if swallowed, inhaled or contacts skin
• React with other chemicals or heat and cause fire or toxic fumes
• Leak on the ground and contaminate the soil or groundwater
• Injure waste collectors if HHW is placed in household bins or out for verge collections
• Pollute the environment if it ends up in a landfill.

Where to dispose of hazardous waste

The Household Hazardous Waste Program provides 13 facilities in WA for the public to safely drop off their hazardous materials for free, including:

Toodyay - Railway Road Transfer Station
Railway Road, Toodyay
Phone: 9574 2661

Important notes:

• Do not dispose of hazardous waste in any home bin or bulk verge collection.
• Hazardous waste from commercial businesses (including small businesses) or industrial sites is not accepted.

The following outlines what household hazardous waste is accepted and what isn't accepted.

More information and contact

Visit WasteNet for more information about the Household Hazardous Waste Program, including the locations of other facilities in the program (you do not need to be a resident of the local Governments managing these facilities to be able to drop off your household hazardous waste for free).

Fuel & Hydrocarbon Waste

The Shire of Northam often get enquiries about Fuel and Hydrocarbon Waste.

Unfortunately the Shire of Northam cannot accept this type of waste in its liquid form at either landfill under its legislative licence conditions. Sometimes we can accept contaminated soil after testing if it falls under the licence threshold. If youd like to know testing required please contact the Waste Projects Officer on (08) 9622 6100.

Contaminated soil can be taken to Red Hill Waste Management Facility https://www.emrc.org.au/operations-and-projects/waste-and-recycling-services/red-hill-waste-management-facility.aspx and general Fuel and Hydrocarbon Waste can be taken by HAZRAD Australia https://www.hazrad.com.au/hydrocarbon-fuel-waste. The Shire recommend you call these facilities to enquire about your exact needs.