RECYCLING bin (yellow lid)

yellow circle with recycling symbol

Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and containers, metal tins and cans go in the kerbside recycling bin.

Your recycling bin is collected every fortnight in urban and rural collection areas.

Recyclables collected in your kerbside recycling bin go to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Laverton for sorting. Plastics, paper, cardboard and metals are separated into categories, then baled and sold to be made into new products.

Putting recyclables in your landfill bin instead adds pressure on our limited landfill space, and prevents these items from being made into new materials and objects. The costs of sending waste to landfill are significantly higher than recycling, and these extra costs are incurred by all ratepayers.

What's accepted in my recycling bin?

Search the A-Z guide for a specific item, or check the lists below:

Paper and Cardboard
Clean and dry paper only. Flatten large boxes to save space in your bin.

Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Boxes (not waxed e.g fruit boxes)
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Egg cartons
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Envelopes
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Junk Mail
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Magazines
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Newspapers
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Paper e.g. writing paper
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Pizza boxes (must be empty)
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Toilet rolls

Plastic bottles and containers
Plastic containers stamped 1, 2 & 5* are accepted. Remove ALL lids.

Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Biscuit trays
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Clear plastic trays that hold berries, cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers etc..
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Detergent bottles
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Ice cream tubs
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Margarine tubs
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Meat trays (clear plastic only - no black)
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Milk bottles
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Shampoo bottles
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Soft drink bottles
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Takeaway food containers

*Check the bottom of the item for a triangle containing 1,2 or 5

Metals

Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Aerosol cans (empty)
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Aluminium & steel drink cans
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Aluminium foil (clean & scrunched into size of a golf ball)
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Beer bottle caps
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Cat & dog food cans (empty)
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Tins e.g. Milo, coffee
Tick-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Tuna cans

If you can’t find your item above, search the A-Z guide for a specific item.

Still can't find your item?

Contact us now for advice

What's not accepted in my recycling bin?

Glass bottles and jars - put these in your GLASS-only bin (purple lid)

Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Batteries*
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Black meat trays
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Cardboard milk or juice cartons (includes long life cartons)
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Cling wrap
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Clothing
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Drinking glasses
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg E-waste* (any electronic or electrical  item)
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Fabrics
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Glass bottles and jars*
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Foam meat trays
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Hazardous or medical waste such as sharps, or sharps containers
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Light globes & tubes*
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Mirrors
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Nappies
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Plastic bags
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Plant pots
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Polystyrene packaging*
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Pyrex dishes
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Soft plastic packaging e.g. food wrappers
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Take away coffee cups and lids
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Timber e.g. painted or treated
Cross-symbol-thumbnail.jpeg Window glass

*Items listed above with an asterisk (*) can be dropped off for free at your local transfer station.

If you can’t find your item in the lists above, Search the A-Z guide for a specific item.

Still can’t find your item?

Contact us now for advice

Can I get a smaller, larger or extra recycling bin?

If the standard-size recycling bin (240-litres) does not meet your household’s needs, you can request an extra or larger bin.

Apply for an extra RECYCLING bin (annual fees apply)

Exchange your bin for a larger RECYCLING bin (once-off fee)

If you live alone or have limited space to store a large recycling bin, you can request a smaller bin (140-litres). There is no cost to downsize. Contact Council to request a smaller bin.

Changing to a smaller bin does not reduce the annual garbage charges included on your rates notice.

Recycling Tips

  • Never put your recycling in plastic bags. All items must go into the bin loose.
  • NO glass in your recycling bin. Use the GLASS-only bin (purple lid) for all glass bottles and jars.
  • Remove the lids from all plastic bottles, jars and containers.
  • No need to wash containers – just scrape them clean.
  • Flatten boxes so they take up less space.
  • Up to 0.5m3 (about a car boot load) of sorted recyclables can be dropped off free of charge at Council’s transfer stations. 

FAQs about your RECYCLING bin

Related Information

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