Tips for visiting a waste facility

There are simple things you can do to streamline visits to your local waste facility. Spending a little time planning will save you money, time and effort.

This helps reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill and increase your recycling efforts. By adopting more sustainable practices, you can make a positive impact on your waste management and the environment.

Visit during non-peak times

Over 40% of facility visits occur on weekends, making weekends the busiest times to visit. Avoid the queue by disposing of your waste Monday to Friday. Visitation data and a live stream video are available for each waste facility. This allows you to check the current queue length and find the best time to visit.

To access this data, visit Find a waste and recycling facility and select your nearest facility.

Put your wheelie bins to good use

Reduce the number of visits you make to your local waste facility by correctly sorting your waste into the right kerbside bin. Increase the efficiency of your kerbside recycling, garden organics and general waste bins, by knowing what you can put in them. Check what items are accepted in each bin.

Recycle, reuse and re-purpose items around the home

You can significantly reduce waste by recycling, reusing, or re-purposing items.

Here are some easy ways to avoid a trip to your local waste facility:

• Start a compost pile: Turn kitchen scraps and garden organics into a nutrient-rich compost for your garden.
• Reuse or share building materials: Pass on useful materials to friends and family instead of discarding them.
• Avoid unnecessary packaging: Choose products with minimal packaging or opt for reusable packaging, such as mesh produce bags, to reduce waste.
• Shop with retailers who offer take-back services: Opt for stores that will take away your old white goods and appliances when you buy new ones.

By putting into practice some simple habits around the home, you can promote a more sustainable lifestyle.   

Make the most of your free waste disposal entitlements

Plan your yearly household disposal needs ahead of time. This can save you money by utilising your disposal of waste free of charge entitlements.  

Disposal of general waste, clean concrete, and clean soil is subject to fees once you have exceeded your entitlements.

Learn more about free domestic waste disposal for residents. 

Only visit with a full load

Try to hold off visiting a waste facility until you have a full load. Not only will you save time, but you will also save on fuel costs, as well as wear and tear on your vehicle.

Sort your waste before leaving home

Waste facilities have designated disposal areas for different waste types. For example, bins for steel or cages for cardboard. Speed up your time on-site by having your items sorted and separated before leaving home.

Take one type of waste

Visiting with a full load of one type of chargeable waste will reduce queuing and disposal times, and maximise your use of free disposal entitlements, saving you money.

Council must record the weight and type of waste disposed of at our waste facilities. If you have two different types of waste when attending a waste facility with a weighbridge, it may be recorded as general waste (mixed material).

The facility applies free disposal entitlements and any per tonne charge to the material type within the mixed load that incurs the highest fee. Otherwise, you can enter the site’s weighbridge twice. This allows you to separate material types with higher disposal costs from those with lower costs or free disposal.