Brisbane City Council takes e-waste, including batteries, free at its four resource recovery centres (Nudgee, Willawong, Chandler and Ferny Grove), all open seven days a week from 6:30 am to 5:45 pm including public holidays. Anything that needs electricity or a battery counts: TVs, computers, phones, appliances large and small, toys and LED bulbs. Retailers add options for small items: every Good Guys store takes phones, laptops, cables, batteries and small appliances free, with TV cages at selected stores, and the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme runs free collection points through Ecycle Solutions and TechCollect. Brisbane has no Best Buy; that is a US chain. Every address, hour and rule below was checked against the source on 25 August 2026.
Brisbane City Council resource recovery centres: free e-waste
| Centre | Address | Type |
|---|
| Nudgee Resource Recovery Centre | 1372 Nudgee Road, Nudgee Beach | Major centre; accepts vehicles over 4.5 tonnes |
| Willawong Resource Recovery Centre | 360 Sherbrooke Road, Willawong | Major centre; accepts vehicles over 4.5 tonnes |
| Chandler Resource Recovery Centre | 728 Tilley Road, Chandler | Minor centre; vehicles under 4.5 tonnes only |
| Ferny Grove Resource Recovery Centre | 101 Upper Kedron Road, Ferny Grove | Minor centre; vehicles under 4.5 tonnes only |
All four are open 7 days a week including every public holiday, 6:30 am to 5:45 pm, with gates closing strictly at 5:45 pm. Council information line (07) 3403 8888. E-waste and batteries are accepted free in the undercover recycling area for residential quantities in vehicles under 4.5 tonnes; when you arrive, follow the yellow lines to the recycling facility. General waste and green waste are charged or covered by waste vouchers, so keep e-waste separate from rubbish. Mattresses are $36.60 each.
What the council counts as e-waste: batteries (dead or damaged, all of them), computers and laptops, keyboards and mice, LED light bulbs, mobile phones, small and large household appliances, toys and gadgets, TVs and speakers. The council's rule is blunt: no e-waste in the red, yellow or green wheelie bin, because batteries start fires in collection trucks, and wipe your personal data before dropping devices off.
Retail drop-off in Brisbane
| Store | Takes | Cost |
|---|
| The Good Guys (all stores) | Household batteries, small e-waste (phones, laptops, tablets, cabling, accessories) and small appliances (kettles, toasters, personal care devices); hand items to a team member or use the shop-floor kiosks | Free; selected stores have e-waste cages that take TVs of all sizes; home collection of large appliances available through a partner for a charge |
| Officeworks | Mobile phones, computer accessories and batteries at many stores; ask the store | Free |
| Harvey Norman | Runs an e-waste program; its page could not be read on the day we checked, so confirm with the store | Free for accepted items |
| Ecycle Solutions and TechCollect collection points (national scheme) | TVs, computers, printers, monitors, mice, keyboards and computer accessories | Free; find the nearest on ecyclesolutions.net.au or techcollect.com.au, or Planet Ark's Recycling Near You |
Under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme every company that makes or imports computers and TVs into Australia pays for their recycling, which is why those items are free at scheme collection points and at council centres.
What Queensland's rules mean for you
Queensland has no statewide e-waste landfill ban of the kind Victoria and Western Australia have; the free routes exist because Brisbane City Council funds e-waste recovery at its centres and because the national scheme covers TVs and computers. The council's own guidance orders the priorities: reduce (buy well or hire), reuse (repair, sell, donate), then recycle. Brisbane's kerbside collection will not take e-waste, and a battery in any wheelie bin is a fire risk the council specifically warns about.
TVs in Brisbane
- Any TV: a resource recovery centre, free, seven days a week.
- Any TV, without the tip run: a Good Guys store with an e-waste cage, or an Ecycle Solutions or TechCollect point.
- Working TV: sell it, or check The Good Guys' trade-in portal before recycling.
Before you drop off a computer or phone
The council asks you to wipe personal data before drop-off and does not promise to do it for you. Sign out of Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung accounts, back up, then factory reset; pull or overwrite an old spinning hard drive. Our factory reset guide covers every major device.
Is it worth money instead?
A working phone, tablet or laptop under about six years old usually has a buyer. Check this month's buyback prices in the Trade-In Price Index or run your model through the Device Value Checker before recycling it. Broken devices can be priced with the Scrap Value Calculator.
Nearby cities
Sources
- Brisbane City Council, E-waste recycling (brisbane.qld.gov.au/bins-waste-and-recycling/reducing-waste-at-home/e-waste-recycling), definition of e-waste, free acceptance at the four centres, bin and data warnings, checked 25 August 2026
- Brisbane City Council, Resource recovery centres (brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/rubbish-tips-and-bins/resource-recovery-centres), the four centres, hours, vehicle limits, free recycling area and fees, checked 25 August 2026
- Bing Places listings for Nudgee, Willawong, Chandler and Ferny Grove Resource Recovery Centres, street addresses, checked 25 August 2026
- The Good Guys, Recycle Your e-Waste (thegoodguys.com.au/e-waste-recycling), checked 25 August 2026
- Ecycle Solutions, Drop-Off Locations (ecyclesolutions.net.au), checked 25 August 2026
- Planet Ark Recycling Near You, Computers, national scheme accepted items, checked 25 August 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I drop off e-waste for free in Brisbane?
At any Brisbane City Council resource recovery centre: Nudgee (1372 Nudgee Road), Willawong (360 Sherbrooke Road), Chandler (728 Tilley Road) or Ferny Grove (101 Upper Kedron Road). All four are open seven days a week including public holidays, 6:30 am to 5:45 pm, and e-waste including batteries is free for residential quantities. Follow the yellow lines to the recycling area.
Can I put a TV or batteries in my Brisbane wheelie bin?
No. Brisbane City Council says e-waste must not go in the red, yellow or green bins, and that all batteries, dead or damaged, count as e-waste because they cause fires in collection trucks. Take them to a resource recovery centre, a Good Guys store or a national scheme collection point.
Which shops in Brisbane take old electronics?
Every Good Guys store takes household batteries, phones, laptops, tablets, cables and small appliances free, and selected stores have cages for TVs of all sizes. Officeworks takes phones, accessories and batteries at many stores. Ecycle Solutions and TechCollect run free national scheme collection points for TVs, computers and printers. There is no Best Buy in Australia.
Is there a fee to recycle a TV at a Brisbane tip?
No. E-waste, including TVs, is free at all four resource recovery centres for residential quantities in vehicles under 4.5 tonnes. Fees or waste vouchers apply only to general waste, green waste and mattresses ($36.60 each), so keep the TV separate from any rubbish you bring.
Does Queensland ban e-waste from landfill?
Not statewide, unlike Victoria and Western Australia. Brisbane City Council provides free e-waste recovery at its centres, and the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme makes manufacturers pay for TV and computer recycling, which is why those items are free at collection points.
