Which BRAD option is right for me?
New to BRAD and not sure where to start? You are in good company. BRAD is the Banish Recycling and Diversion program, and it takes the hard-to-recycle household bits your council bin will not: bottle top lids, blister packs, toothpaste tubes, pens, beauty packaging and plenty more.
Every BRAD option accepts the same list of items. The only thing that changes is how your items reach us, and how much you can send at once. Have a look at the table below, pick the one that suits your home, office or community group, and you are away.
| Â | BRAD Pre-paid Label | BRAD Sydney Drop-Off | BRAD Pre-Paid Mega Box | How to BRAD guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From $18 AUD Shoe box up to 2kg: $18 with a digital label, $23 with a printed label. Medium box up to 4kg: $30 with a digital label, $35 with a printed label. |
$10 AUD per drop-off | From $290 AUD $290 for recycling only, using your own box. $350 including the reusable Mega Box and signage. |
Free |
| Best for | Households anywhere in Australia who want to post their recycling in via Australia Post. | Sydney locals who would rather hand their items over in person at our Sustainability Hub. | Businesses, schools, offices and community groups collecting together. | Anyone who wants to get their head around BRAD before spending anything. |
| What it holds | Regular: up to 2kg, maximum 35cm x 24cm x 14cm (12L). Medium: up to 4kg, maximum 39cm x 27cm x 26cm (25L). |
Up to 2kg in weight, or a shoe box in size. Larger collections need two drop-offs. | One reusable Mega Box holds around 1,750 items. It measures W400mm x L300mm x H800mm at the front and 950mm at the back, and is built to be reused up to 20 times. | A printable page listing everything BRAD does and does not accept. |
| What it accepts | All BRAD options accept the same items, including blister packs, plastic bottle top lids, metal coffee pods, toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes, beauty and skincare packaging, Webster packs, bread tags, pens and markers, single-use plastic cutlery, DVDs, CDs and wine bottle corks. Batteries, electronics, aerosols, razors and perfume bottles are not accepted. Always check the full accepted list before you pack, and keep everything clean, dry and loose. | |||
| How it works | Buy your label, let us know when you are ready to send, and we email you a postage-paid label. Fill your own box, attach the label and drop the parcel at any Australia Post location. You can also subscribe monthly, quarterly or half-yearly, and pause, change or cancel at any time. | Buy a drop-off, then bring your items to the Sydney Sustainability Hub at 490 Pitt Street, Haymarket NSW 2000. Open Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and until 6pm on Thursdays. | Order your kit, fill it with hard-to-recycle items, send it off with the prepaid label, then receive a recycling report showing what your group diverted. Postage is covered for metro areas, and we can quote for regional and remote addresses. | Download it, print the accepted items page and pop it on the fridge or in the office kitchen. |
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Frequently asked questions
Which size label should I pick?
The regular label suits a shoe box sized parcel weighing up to 2kg, with maximum dimensions of 35cm x 24cm x 14cm. The medium label suits a parcel the size of a carton of beer box, weighing up to 4kg, with maximum dimensions of 39cm x 27cm x 26cm. If your parcel is under 2kg but large in size, or over 2kg but small in size, you will need a medium label. Parcels sent with BRAD that are too big will incur an additional fee.
Can I set up a regular collection?
Yes. BRAD Pre-paid Label subscriptions are available monthly, quarterly or half-yearly, and we email your postage-paid label automatically so there is no form to fill in. You can pause, change the frequency or cancel at any time.
How long does processing take?
Once your parcel reaches our Sydney warehouse, sorting usually happens within four to six weeks depending on volume. Each material stream then goes to its specialist Australian micro-recycler on their own processing schedule.
What if my item is not on the accepted list?
Please leave it out. Wish-cycling contaminates the whole box, so only send items you know BRAD accepts. Batteries of any kind, including lithium-ion, belong in the B-cycle drop-off network, and cables, chargers and small electricals can go to Officeworks Bring It Back. If you are not certain, check what BRAD currently accepts before you pack.
Want the full picture, including the complete accepted and not accepted lists and how the program works? Read all about the BRAD recycling program.