Recycling Corks in the City of Melbourne area
Wine and champagne corks are collected from various drop off points across Australia by community groups such as Girl Guides Australia, Friends of the Zoos and Green Collect in Melbourne and MND (Motor Neuron Disease) Victoria. These groups recycle the corks to raise funds for their initiatives and programs.
The corks are sent to manufacturers where they are recycled and used in products such as floor tiles, horse-float mats, boat decking, kindergarten flooring, and inners for hockey and cricket balls.
Some collection points will also accept plastic corks for recycling, they are identified below.
The cork recycling drop-off locations near you include:
The Body Shop - Melbourne
Collins 234 Centre
234 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
The Body Shop - Melbourne
Melbourne Central
300 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Green Collect
For corporates, cafes, restaurants in CBD
Melbourne VIC 3000
Contact: 03 9663 8843
The Body Shop - Melbourne
271–281 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3001
Dan Murphy's
291 Mt Alexander Road
Ascot Vale VIC 3032
* Also accepts plastic corks
Melbourne Zoo
Inside Main Gate - look for the blue bins
Elliot Avenue
Parkville VIC 3052
* Also accepts plastic corks
Melbourne Zoo
Inside Rail Gate Entry - look for blue bins
Royal Park Train Station
Parkville VIC 3052
* Also accepts plastic corks
The Body Shop - South Yarra
391 Chapel Street
South Yarra VIC 3141
Dan Murphy's
273 Chapel Street
Prahran VIC 3181
* Also accepts plastic corks
About Cork Oak Trees
- Corks are derived from the bark of the tree.
- They must be 25 years old before their first harvest.
- A further 9 years must pass before another harvest can be made – this helps to ensure that cork is a sustainably-harvested resource.
- They are grown mainly in Portugal, northern Africa and the Western Mediterranean.
- Cork Oak trees provide valuable habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife.
Importance of Recycling Cork
- Extends the useful life of the material.
- Reduces the demand placed on the cork plantations.
- Saves money by reducing imports of material (approximately 550 tonnes of cork is imported into Australia annually).
