Free cardboard drop-off service opens in Sydney's south-east
A free cardboard and paper drop-off service has opened at Opal Paper & Recycling’s Botany Mill in Matraville, giving local residents, schools and businesses an easy way to recycle everyday used cardboard packaging and paper.
The initiative comes as NSW continues to generate significant volumes of waste each year. According to the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the state generated around 22.4 million tonnes of waste in 2024–25.
“We’re really happy to be bringing this service to the local community. Cardboard and paper are part of everyday life — whether that’s online shopping deliveries, moving house or just running a business, but knowing how and where to recycle it properly isn’t always easy,” said Robert Carry, Group General Manager at Opal Paper & Recycling Botany Mill.
“That’s exactly the problem this service is designed to solve. We know people want to do the right thing, but without a convenient option for larger volumes of cardboard and paper, too much recyclable material ends up in landfill.
“By making recycling easier and more accessible, we’re helping more of these materials support a circular economy for cardboard, where they can be recovered and turned into new paper and cardboard packaging products, rather than going to landfill.”
What does the free cardboard drop-off service accept?
The free drop-off service accepts clean, flattened cardboard and clean paper and paper-based packaging. It’s open to households, schools and local businesses, particularly those generating higher volumes of cardboard through deliveries, operations or seasonal clean-ups. All materials must be clean, dry and free from contamination, plastic or general waste.
Carry said keeping the material clean is essential to ensuring it can be turned back into high-quality recycled paper for packaging.
Once collected, the material is taken to the Botany Mill, where it’s processed into 100% recycled paper. That paper can then be used to manufacture new cardboard packaging, creating a loop where materials stay in use longer rather than being disposed of.
“What people drop off here goes back into making new recycled paper and cardboard packaging. So, a box from your doorstep today can become part of a new box in the future,” Carry said.
The drop-off point is open 24/7 and is located at 1891 Botany Road, Matraville. For more information, visit the Opal Paper & Recycling website.
Delays on packaging reform create more plastic waste
Australia uses more than 1.3 million tonnes of plastic packaging every year, yet only 19% is...
Sporting fans in favour of using reusable cups: report
Twelve million plastic cups could be kept out of landfills and oceans every year if major...
$32 million investment to create jet fuel from forest waste
The federal government hopes the ARENA investment will make Australia's fuel supply more...
