Recycling at Twist and Sprout
We are a drop-off point for the Banish Recycling and Disposal Program. We accept a wide range of items which which we pay to send away for sorting, before being sent on to individual recyclers. Check out the list below to see what we do and do not accept.
Did you know that you can buy reusable and plastic free alternatives to some of these items at Twist and Sprout? Instead of buying disposable coffee pods, you can buy whole coffee beans and a manual grinder to grind fresh at home (the taste is so much better as well!). Swap out your single-use bread bag and plastic bread tag with a reusable bread bag from Onya. Or, instead of purchasing a lip balm in a plastic tube, choose our Noosa Basics lip balm in compostable cardboard!
There is a $2 fee per drop off, and we encourage donations of higher than that amount if you are able to support the program. We provide this service for free and all the money raised goes to offsetting some of the costs of postage.
✔️ What we accept:
- Medical blister packs
- Toothpaste tubes, floss containers & toothbrushes
- Electric toothbrush heads
- Medical ointment tubes
- Hair gel tubes & caps
- Hair paste plastic jars & caps
- Lip balm tubes
- Face soap dispensers & tubes
- Lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, & jars
- Shaving foam tubes (no cans)
- Lip gloss tubes
- Mascara tubes
- Eyeliner pencils & cases
- Eyeshadow tubes
- Concealer tubes & sticks
- Sprays or pumps from cleaning products
- Coffee pods
- Single use coffee cups & lids
- Party supplies and dining disposables (single-use cutlery and straws)
- Prescription drug packaging (blister packs)
- Contact lens packaging (similar to blister packs)
- Writing pens, highlighters, biros & markers
- Correction fluid pots & tape (empty only)
- Household batteries (not mobile phone batteries, but you can take them to a Mobile Muster drop off point. We hope to accept mobile phones and accessories in the future).
❌ Unfortunately we do not accept:
- Prescription bottles
- Inhalers & asthma puffers
- Syringes
- Insulin pens
- Webster Packs & blister packs with paper backing
- Bottle top rings & spouts
- Piksters & single use floss threaders
- Metal bottle tops
- Sponges & kitchen brushes
- Aerosol cans
- Perfume bottles
- Nail polish bottles & nail polish remover bottles
- Electronic items such as blow dryers & straighteners
- Bio-medical or bio-hazardous waste including syringes
- Glue sticks, pencils, erasers, rulers and cutting implements
- Plastic razors & blades (included in the Banish program but we are not able to accept sharps at Twist and Sprout)
Container Deposit Scheme
Get your 10c Refund
 Medicine blister packsDrop off your blister packs from medication at Twist and Sprout |
|---|
 PensDrop off your used plastic pens and markers at Twist and Sprout |
 Plastic bottle topsDrop off your plastic bottle tops at Twist and Sprout |
 Toothpaste and toothbrushesDrop off your empty toothpaste tubes and plastic toothbrushes at Twist and Sprout |
 Concealer, mascara, lipstickDrop off your empty plastic makeup tubes at Twist and Sprout |
 Plastic bread tagsDrop off your plastic bread tags at Twist and Sprout |
We are a collection point for the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme which started in 2023. Eligible containers receive a 10c refund.
Most aluminium, glass, plastic and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres are eligible. Look for the 10c mark on the drink container label. We recommend you don’t crush containers.
If you can, please take your containers to the rear entrance, via the IGA car park, and ring the doorbell at any time during opening hours. Only small bags or boxes with clean and dry containers to be be brought in to the shop.
There are several ways to receive your refund:
1) Cash
2) Bank transfer (you must download the CDS Vic North app, create an account and enter your bank details)
3) Donate your refund to an organisation or group. Local groups currently registered as donation partners include:
- Rochester Community House
- Rochester Junior Football Club
- Rochester RSL
- Rotary Club of Rochester
- St Joseph's School Rochester
- Rochester Senior Citizen's Club
- Lockington Pony Club
Supporting Environmental Charities
♻️ Bottle tops are collected and sent to Lids4Kids. This charity organises the lids to be recycled into mobility aids, children's play equipment and outdoor furniture.
We accept milk, soft drink and water bottle lids, as well as the squeezy pouch lids. We do not accept pop tops, sauce or condiment lids, or metal lids.
Lids should be clean and dry, and have the inner white plastic disc removed.
Lids can be donated in conjunction with the Container Deposit Scheme. You are eligible for a 10c refund with or without the lid on the bottle.
♻️ Plastic bread tags are collected and sent to Bread Tags for Wheelchairs. This charity recycles the bread tags into products, and the proceeds from the sales provide mobility aids for children with disabilities.
We do not collect the newer cardboard bread tags - they can be put together in an envelope and placed in your council recycling bin, or composted.