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 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

More than 55% 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.

How you can send less to landfill

There are simple steps you can take to reduce your waste, such as:  

• putting accepted recyclables in your recycling bin. See what you can recycle in Moreton Bay.
• upsizing your recycling bin if you need more room to recycle
• using your garden organics bin for grass clippings, leaves, and other garden waste 
• learning how to compost food and garden materials
• sorting your load by separating recyclables before visiting a waste facility
• giving unwanted items a second life by donating them to charity or Council’s Treasure Markets. 

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.