BRAD's most frequently asked questions

Howdy Partner! Looking to recycle blister packs, lotion bottles, toothpaste tubes and all your other hard-to-recycle household items? Search no more with BRAD!

We've compiled a list of our most asked questions to help you join our grassroots movement and recycle with BRAD.

What is BRAD?  

Did you know that only 9% of the plastic that has ever been made has been recycled? BRAD, the Banish Recycling And Diversion Program launched in November 2020, is our response to the complex and inconsistent recycling systems we have across Australia that makes it very difficult for households and businesses to recycle more of their plastic waste.

BRAD is an end-to-end solution for hard-to-recycle items such as blister packs, toothpaste tubes, lotion bottles, bread tags and SO MUCH MORE! Since we launched just over 3 years ago, we have been blown away by your support with hundreds of homes and businesses of all sizes sending in hundreds of BRAD boxes to us for recycling every week.

We have since launched a Corporate and Education Recycling Kit that has a 96L collection box designed to suit a large office, and easy-to-use assets and resources to help bring your community on the journey.

What items does BRAD accept?

Click here for the full list, or download the PDF and save it somewhere special. Since launching, together we’ve recycled over 2.7 million prescription and over-the-counter blister packs!

How does BRAD work? 

BRAD is one of Australia's most comprehensive household recycling programs - a one stop spot for hard to recycle items. We receive mixed boxes of hard to recycle items, sort them into the different waste streams, and then send them to specialty Australian recyclers to be recycled.
Local councils often don't recycle these items because the items are difficult to recycle and as such, cost too much to recycle. Banish pays for most waste streams sorted to be recycled, which is why we offer other services and corporate programs to help fund the program and keep it going.

How many items can I send in a BRAD box to be recycled?

As many as you like! But to be eligible for a voucher please send in at least five items and there is a limit of 1 return per customer per month. Vouchers can only be used one at a time.

How does the voucher work?

The Banish voucher is valued at $15 and it can be used for any of the items in the Banish store. There is a $50 minimum spend to use it and you can only redeem one voucher per transaction. It is not redeemable for cash.

One of the reasons why most local councils don't accept the BRAD-able items in your kerbside recycling bin is that they either hold no resale value or they need to go to small specialised facilities to be recycled, and as such are a significant cost to be recycled. As a small business Banish covers all of these costs which is why there is a minimum spend required. Your support helps fund this program and keep it going.

How long will it take for me to receive my voucher?

We have been blown away by the number of parcels that we're receiving each week. If you haven't received an email from us within a month of posting your box please email brad@banish.com.au with your tracking number and we will sort it out for you.

How should I send my items to BRAD? 

BRAD loves it when you reuse something you've already got at home, for example you could fill an old shoe box, turn an old shipping satchel inside out or reuse some of the packaging from your last Banish order.

Will I receive an actual box when I purchase the BRAD Prepaid Label?

No, we don’t send out physical boxes with the BRAD Prepaid Label. To keep our program sustainable, we encourage customers to repurpose boxes they already have at home, like an old shoe box or a beer box. Reusing packaging you already have on hand is a great way to reduce waste and help the environment!

How can my local community group, business, office or school start a relationship with BRAD? 

We have launched a Corporate and Education Recycling Kit that has a large 96L collection box designed to suit a large office, and easy-to-use assets and resources to help bring your community on the journey.
Each time you return the box contents for recycling, we’ll provide a detailed report on what you’ve recycled that other BRADvocates find useful for ESG reporting and sharing with their teams. We can’t wait to welcome your office to the BRAD movement!

What happens to the products that we recycle?

We receive your parcel, sort it into the relevant waste stream and then it is recycled. All of the waste that we collect is recycled onshore in Australia. We partner with recyclers like Lids4Kids, Transmutation, Simply Cups and Nespresso.
You can read our 2023 report here. 

Who pays for shipping? 

We do! Our BRAD Pre-paid programs pay for your hard-to-recycle waste to be posted to Banish, sorted and then recycled. Once purchased, you will be sent a pre-paid label to send your recycling to Banish.

Does BRAD accept bottle tops from milk containers, juice bottles etc? 

BRAD does accept plastic bottle tops. We do not however accept metal tops from wine, kombucha and beer bottles.

Can you drop off your recycling?

We are excited to open BRAD Drop Offs at our new Sydney Sustainability Hub! All you need to do is purchase a BRAD drop-off for $10, pop into our Sydney Sustainability Hub and recycle with us.

You can drop off anytime between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday at 490 Pitt St Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia. Find out more.

I live overseas, can I send you items to recycle?

At this stage we only accept parcels from Australians as sending us your products from far away lands is carbon intensive and costly for everyone.

Together we have saved an astonishing amount of plastic from damaging the natural environment. Plastic that has now been repurposed into thousands of new products that will be used for many many years to come, so for that thank you!

Here's a round up of our first 12 months.

If you have any other questions please send us an email brad@banish.com.au.