How to Recycle Your Old Pens, Batteries, Chargers, Phones & a Whole Lot More

Kira Simpson

In partnership with Officeworks

Waste is not waste until we waste it.

In Australia, we produce 540kg of household waste per person, each year. That’s more than 10kg for every single person, every single week!

But what if we could change that?

Officeworks Bring it Back program is about taking in those unrecyclable items to prevent them from ending up in landfill.

Where to Recycle pens batteries Officewroks

Don’t Bin it, Bring It!

For the past ten years Officeworks have offered in-store recycling and every year the categories grow to include more items.

Right now you can bring back your old pens, markers, e-waste like computer cables and data storage, ink cartridges, and your old mobiles phones to be recycled.

I keep a little box in the pantry and chuck in all the bits I know I can recycle, and whenever I pop into Officeworks I just take the box with me.

The collection points are located right at the entrance of every store you can check out your local store here to see what they currently accept in their recycling bins.

Effective recycling programs like this really do make a difference

If every household did this, imagine how much waste we would save from going to landfill! Remember, when done collectively, every little action counts.

Officeworks Bring it Back recycling
Officeworks Bring it Back recycling

A Positive Difference

The Bring it Back program is a big part of the Officeworks Positive Difference Plan for their 2025 sustainability commitments.

The plan is working on their product circularity, reducing emissions, using renewable energy, adding more recycling initiatives, and supporting local community and environmental programs. You can read more about the commitments here. 

I’m a firm believer in positive change coming from the top with the big brands having the power to start changing the systems and setting a standard for more to follow their lead. I also believe that companies have a responsibility for the products they sell and need to make it easier for customers to dispose of the waste responsibly.

The recycling program is free and you can find your drop off points using the store locator online here. Are you ready to start your own recycling box?

Kira Simpson

Kira Simpson is an environmentalist and sustainability expert. She started The Green Hub as a blog in 2015, which has since grown to become one of Australia’s largest education sites dedicated to helping people live a more sustainable lifestyle.