Pool covers, solar blankets, winter covers, and their associated roller mechanisms are a significant accessory for any in-ground pool. When the pool is removed, these items need to go somewhere. They’re bulky, they’re made of materials that aren’t easily recycled, and they can’t simply be left out for kerb-side collection. Here’s what to do with old pool covers and rollers in the Southern Highlands.
Quick Answer (BLUF)
Old solar blankets and pool covers are generally not recyclable in standard council waste streams, they go to landfill. In-ground or recessed roller mechanisms require excavation or disassembly before disposal. Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Moss Vale Waste Management Centre accepts bulky pool accessories as general waste for a gate fee. If the cover is in reasonable condition, it can sometimes be sold or donated secondhand. Most pool removal contractors will include cover and roller disposal in the overall removal quote if asked specifically.
Types of Pool Covers and What They’re Made Of
| Cover Type | Material | Recyclability | Typical Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar blanket (bubble wrap style) | Polyethylene (PE) | Low, most facilities won’t accept | 5-15 kg |
| Thermal blanket (foam layer) | Polyethylene + EVA foam | Not recyclable as composite | 8-20 kg |
| Mesh winter cover | Polypropylene mesh | Sometimes recyclable as hard plastic | 5-10 kg |
| Solid PVC safety cover | PVC with steel anchors | PVC technically recyclable, but composites rejected | 15-35 kg |
| Motorised slatted cover (slat cover) | Polycarbonate or PVC slats | Some recyclers accept polycarbonate | 30-80 kg |
| Bladder/water bag cover (older style) | PVC | Not recyclable in practice | 20-40 kg |
The dominant cover type in the Southern Highlands is the standard solar blanket, a sheet of PE foam with a bubble-wrap texture. These are the covers commonly seen on residential pools and sold at Bunnings or pool shops. Despite being made of polyethylene (which is technically recyclable), the thinness of the material, the UV degradation, and the mixed foam layers make them difficult to process at standard PE recyclers.
The Recycling Reality
The honest position on pool cover recycling in regional NSW: most pool covers end up in landfill because:
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Thin-film PE recycling requires specialist facilities that aren’t common in the Southern Highlands area. The nearest thin-film PE drop-off facilities (commonly found at Bunnings supercentres) accept shopping bags and bread bags, but may reject large degraded pool blankets due to contamination.
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UV degradation makes old blankets brittle and prone to breaking into micro-fragments, which complicates processing.
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Council kerbside recycling does not accept pool blankets or covers, they jam sorting machinery.
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Gate-accepted recycling at waste facilities may accept intact covers as plastic, but heavily degraded or composite covers are often rejected.
If recycling is important to you, contact the Moss Vale Waste Management Centre directly before disposing, ask whether they accept pool blankets in any specific stream. Policies can vary.
Disposal at Wingecarribee Shire Waste Facilities
Wingecarribee Shire Council operates waste management facilities at which bulky pool accessories can be disposed:
| Facility | Location | Gate Fee (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Moss Vale Waste Management Centre | Moss Vale | General waste fee by weight |
| Mittagong Transfer Station | Mittagong | General waste fee by weight |
A solar blanket and roller from a standard pool might weigh 15-40 kg total and attract a gate fee of $20 to $60 depending on current facility pricing. Council fee schedules are updated periodically, check the Wingecarribee Shire Council website for current rates.
For properties in the Shoalhaven fringe (Kangaroo Valley area), Shoalhaven City Council waste facilities apply.
Roller Mechanisms: Freestanding vs In-Ground
Pool rollers come in two main types, and disposal differs between them:
Freestanding rollers (the most common type): These are standalone units on wheels that sit beside the pool. When the pool is removed, the roller is simply wheeled away for disposal or sale. The steel or aluminium frame can go to a metal recycler (scrap aluminium fetches $0.80, $1.40/kg; steel $0.10, $0.20/kg). The roller axle and mechanism are often mild steel or aluminium.
In-ground or recessed rollers: Some higher-end pools have a recessed roller mechanism built into a concrete housing at one end of the pool. These require:
- Excavation or breaking of the concrete housing to access the mechanism
- Removal of the roller assembly from the housing
- Backfilling of the housing as part of the overall pool removal
- The roller mechanism itself disposed of as above
Recessed roller removal is typically included in the scope of a pool removal job, but confirm this explicitly with your contractor, some quotes exclude auxiliary pool accessories.
Selling Secondhand Pool Covers
If the cover is in reasonable condition (less than 5-6 years old, not UV-brittle, no major tears), there is a secondhand market:
- Facebook Marketplace / Gumtree: Pool covers in good condition sell for $100 to $400 depending on size and condition. Custom-cut covers for unusual pool shapes are harder to sell.
- Pool shops: Some pool shops will take in secondhand covers on consignment or for trade-in, particularly in areas where pools are common.
- Community groups: Southern Highlands community Facebook groups occasionally have active buy/sell/swap activity for pool equipment.
Be realistic about condition, a solar blanket that’s 8 years old and showing UV degradation has essentially no resale market. The time spent trying to sell it may not be worth the effort.
What Contractors Typically Include in Pool Removal Quotes
Pool removal quotes vary in what they include regarding accessories. Some contractors:
- Include all pool accessories (cover, roller, equipment) in their removal quote
- Exclude accessories and quote for the pool shell and surrounds only
- Charge separately for roller removal if it’s in-ground or embedded
Always clarify what’s included in your quote. Ask specifically: “Does this include removal and disposal of the pool cover and roller?”
Chemical Contamination of Old Pool Covers
Heavily algae-contaminated or chemically-stained pool covers are still general waste, they aren’t hazardous waste requiring special handling unless they have been treated with unusual chemicals. A standard solar blanket contaminated with algae and pool chemicals goes to landfill as general waste.
Reducing Waste by Removing Before You Remove
If you’re planning pool removal, consider timing cover disposal separately from the pool removal works:
- A cover in good condition can be sold or donated before the removal starts
- Roller mechanisms in good condition can also be offered for sale (pool shops or online)
- This reduces the volume and weight of material the removal contractor needs to handle, which can modestly reduce cost
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my old pool blanket in my recycling bin? No. Wingecarribee Shire kerbside recycling bins do not accept pool blankets or covers. These must be taken to a waste facility or disposed of as bulk general waste.
Is there a thin-film plastic drop-off point near Bowral or Mittagong? Check whether local Bunnings stores in the Southern Highlands accept thin-film plastic recycling, some do, some don’t, and policies change. Pool blankets are typically too degraded and large for standard thin-film drop-off programs.
What’s the best way to dispose of a steel roller frame? A steel roller frame can go to a metal recycler for a small payment (steel scrap value is low but positive). Alternatively, include it with general metal waste at the Wingecarribee waste facility. Aluminium roller frames are worth more as scrap.
My pool roller is embedded in concrete, will the removal contractor handle it? This should be part of the pool removal scope, but confirm it explicitly in your quote. Embedded roller mechanisms require concrete breaking and excavation to access, it’s not complex but should be included in the job scope.
Should I try to sell pool covers on Gumtree before pool removal? If the cover is less than 6-7 years old and in reasonable condition, it’s worth trying. Photograph it and list it a few weeks before the removal job. If it hasn’t sold by the time removal day approaches, dispose of it as general waste.
For pool removal with comprehensive cleanup including covers, rollers and equipment, request a quote from Southern Highlands Pool Removals.