Scented candles Australia wide leave behind the same thing: an empty jar. Most of us then wonder where it goes. The honest answer is a little more complicated than the recycling bin. Here is what a recycler says, what the label on a pack means, and how to get a jar ready.
Why Scented Candles Australia Jars Miss The Recycling Bin
Candle recycler Banish says candle containers are not accepted in Australian kerbside recycling. Most use tempered glass, which melts at a different temperature from everyday bottle glass. One jar can spoil a whole batch.
That is one recycler's position, so check your own council's list too. Rules differ from place to place. If your council has no advice on candle jars, a drop-off like this is the next best step. Keep the empty jar somewhere dry until you can take it.
What Do Recyclers Want Before They Take A Jar?
Banish asks for a jar with no wax, no wick bits and, as far as you can manage, no label. The glass should have no cracks or chips. Clean jars can go to a Banish drop-off. There the jars are cleaned and refilled, then made into candles for donation.
A Candle Care Kit Helps You Reach The Last Of The Wax
A clean jar starts with a good burn. A candle care kit with a wick trimmer helps the flame burn evenly, so less wax stays on the sides. We cover the leftovers in this guide to the last bit of wax. Let the candle melt right across the top each time you light it. That full melt pool, the circle of liquid wax around the wick, lets the wax burn down evenly. Never dig wax out of a jar while it is hot or lit.
Scented Candle Wax Left Over: Refill Or Reuse
Our refillable candles are designed so you can keep a jar and swap in new wax. That means fewer empty jars to sort in the first place.
If you sell candles to your own customers, expect this question at the point of sale. Tell them what you know and what you do not. Point them to their council's list and to the recycler's page. A plain answer builds more trust than a confident guess, and customers remember who gave them one.
Quick answers
Can you put a candle jar in the recycling bin?
Usually not in kerbside recycling, according to Banish, because candle glass can spoil a batch. Check your council's list first, and remove all wax before any drop-off.
How do you know if packaging is recyclable?
Look for the Australasian Recycling Label. APCO and Planet Ark run it, and it shows how to dispose of each part of a pack. Not every pack carries one.
If you would like to stay with sweet, warm scents for the next jar, the Indulgent range is a good place to start. Vanilla and bakery scents sit there.
Related reading
- What To Do With The Last Bit Of Wax In A Candle Jar: simple steps for the leftovers.
- Eco Friendly Scented Candles Start With One Simple Refill: why a refill cuts waste.
- What Makes A Candle Sustainable, And How To Check: questions worth asking before you buy.
