For avid gardeners and those who are replanting their whole backyard, there’s one problem with the planting process. What do you do with all of the gardening pots left over?
In Australia, plant pots and their labels are mostly made with a plastic called PP5. Lucky for us, this material (although synthetic) is one that can be recycled over and over again. This means that yes, you can recycle your plastic plant pots; however, there are specific places to do it. And, no, it can’t go in your regular yellow bin!
Currently, only 8% of PP5 plastic pots are being repurposed each year in Australia, which is a very tiny number. Here’s our guide on where your gardening plant pots can be recycled, so you can keep your gardening cycle as sustainable as possible:
Where to recycle plastic plant pots
The best place to recycle your plastic plant pots is usually where you got them from. Most major plant nurseries will take back your discarded plant pots, including:
There is an available disposal point that is usually located close to the outdoor nursery section of your chosen store.
However, it is best to look up their directory, as not all locations will have a plant pot drop-off point. Check out the Bunnings directory or Mitre 10 to make sure you’re going to the right store. All 10 Flower Power locations have a plant pot drop-off point.
Recycling plant pots isn’t specific to brand or store, either- all the PP5 disposal points at major plant stores will take any plant pots, no matter where you originally purchased them from.
A helpful PP5 online directory has also been created for public use. Listing more than 40 locations across major cities in Australia, you can check out their interactive map to find one closest to you. This directory includes most major plant store locations, and also has smaller plant nurseries, commercial drop-off points and other retail stores that have disposal facilities.
How to prepare plastic pots for recycling
The first and most important thing to do is check that your plastic pot is made from PP5. Look for the recycling triangle symbol with the number 5 sitting in the middle of it.
Next, it’s time to make sure the pot is clean enough to be recycled:
- Tap out any loose soil
- Give them a quick rinse with the hose
- Stack your pots together and take them to your nearest drop-off point
How are PP5 pots recycled?
Because plants come in a variety of sizes when you buy them at the nursery, there is a huge range of sizes that PP5 pots need to cater for. This means that they can’t just be reused for other plants without any recycling processes involved. PP5 pots are shredded into plastic pellets and then remade back into plastic pots for stores to use again.
Can you put plant pots in the green or yellow bin?
Unfortunately, no, you can’t put plant pots in the green bin. Although they are in the ‘gardening’ realm of rubbish, they are not green waste, and can’t be recycled the same way that grass clippings, leaves and pruned branches are. They are also not considered a ‘household recycling item’, meaning they can’t go in your recycling plastic or yellow bin.
Plastic plant pots can only go in the general waste or red bin at home. But, now that we all know they can be recycled, you can head to your nearest PP5 disposal point and drop them off!
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