Less to landfill
Our city is growing, and so is the amount of waste we produce.
More people means more waste, higher disposal costs and limited landfill space. Making simple changes to how you sort, recycle and reuse can help send less waste to landfill.
By working together, we can create a more sustainable future for our city.
What is a landfill?
Landfills are where our general waste ends up, coming from:
- what you put in your general waste wheelie bin
- public general waste bins
- unsorted waste dropped off at our city’s waste facilities.
Landfills safely contain waste, but they take up valuable space and have a limited lifespan. Because of this, sending waste to landfill should be a last resort.
Why landfill costs are increasing
Each year, the cost of sending waste to landfill increases due to the Queensland Government waste disposal levy. This charge to Council applies to every tonne of general waste sent to landfill. Residents contribute to Council’s levy payments through the Waste Management Utility Charge in their rates.
Council receives a rebate from the Queensland Government to help offset this charge, but the rebate reduces each year. So, the more waste we send to landfill, the more it costs us all.
Keeping items out of landfill helps reduce costs, recover valuable resources and support a more sustainable future for our city.
Why landfill fills up faster than it should
Almost 60% of waste that goes into our general waste wheelie bins could be recycled or composted instead of being sent to landfill.
In our general waste bins:
- 4% is garden waste that could go in the garden organics bin
- 16% is recyclable material that could go in the recycling bin
- 38% is food waste you could compost at home.
By sorting waste correctly and choosing to reduce, reuse and recycle, we can send less to landfill.
Reduced disposal limits from 1 July 2027
Council is gradually reducing the free waste disposal limit at its facilities over several years, starting 1 July 2027.
The new approach will ensure that those who produce more waste contribute more, rather than everyone carrying the cost of the Queensland Waste Disposal Levy.
Changes will be introduced gradually, giving residents time to adjust.
By reducing waste and increasing recycling today, we can help lower costs and protect our environment for future generations.
Staged reduction timeline
The first column lists the financial year and the second column lists the annual disposal limit in tonnes or visits (whichever is reached first).
| Financial year |
Annual disposal limit in tonnes or visits (whichever is reached first) |
| Current limit |
3 tonnes or 26 visits |
| From 1 July 2027 |
2.5 tonnes or 20 visits |
| From 1 July 2028 |
2 tonnes or 15 visits |
| From 1 July 2029 |
1.5 tonnes or 12 visits |
| From 1 July 2030 |
1 tonne or 10 visits |
What stays free or won’t count towards the annual disposal limit?
Disposing of the following materials will not count towards your annual limit:
Consider bringing these items in one load to the waste facility, without any general waste. If your load contains other materials, the entire load may be classified as general waste. This will count towards your annual disposal limit.
Be a good sort. Learn how to sort your load before visiting a waste facility.
What happens when I reach the disposal limit?
Any waste disposed of over the limit is charged according to the standard domestic charge as per the fee schedule.
How you can send less to landfill
There are simple steps you can take to reduce your waste, such as:
Small changes at home can make a big difference. By recycling more, using your garden organics bin and reusing items where possible, we can reduce waste, recover valuable resources and help create a more sustainable city for future generations.
Frequently asked questions
To learn more about the upcoming changes, refer to frequently asked questions.