Tips for visiting a waste facility

A little planning before you visit can save you time, reduce disposal costs and make your visit easier. Whether you're taking general waste, recyclables or green waste, these tips will help you prepare before you arrive.

Before you visit

Before visiting a waste facility, it is important to plan. Planning ahead can save you time, money, and ensure that you are making a big difference.

Check your local facility

Before leaving home, check:

• opening hours
• accepted items
• disposal fees
• current queue length where available.

Different facilities accept different materials so it is important to check.

Find your local waste facility

Check what you can recycle

Many items can be recycled instead of being sent to landfill.

Before loading your vehicle, check whether your items can be recycled at our waste facilities.

Check what you can recycle

Sort your load

Sorting your load before you leave home makes unloading quicker and helps staff direct you to the correct drop-off areas.

Pack your vehicle or trailer in this order:

1. green waste at the back
2. general waste in the middle
3. recyclables at the front or on top.

Make sure to secure your load before travelling.

Check the conditions of entry

To keep everyone safe, waste facilities have conditions of entry.

These include wearing enclosed shoes and providing photo identification where required.

View the conditions of entry

Bring someone to help

If you're disposing of heavy or bulky items, bring another person to help out. Bringing another person can help lighten the load to ensure that you are unloading safely.

When you arrive

Follow these tips to make your visit faster and safer.

• Declare your load correctly. Separating recyclable materials may reduce your disposal fees.
• Follow staff directions and facility signs.
• Dispose of your items in the recommended order:

1. recyclables
2. general waste
3. green waste.

• Keep batteries out of general waste and scrap metal. Use the designated battery recycling area instead.
• Take paint, oil, gas bottles and other hazardous materials to the designated drop-off areas.
• Separate polystyrene from cardboard before disposal. This helps ensure cardboard is recycled correctly.

Recycle, reuse or repurpose

Before throwing something away, ask yourself if it could be:

• recycled
• reused
• repaired
• re-purposed
• donated.

Giving useful items a second life reduces waste and keeps valuable resources in use.

You can:

• donate usable items to local charities
• sell or give away items through online marketplaces
• donate suitable items to Council's Treasure Markets.

Plan ahead and save money

Planning your household waste disposal throughout the year can help you get the most from your free disposal entitlements.

Once your free entitlements have been used, disposal fees apply to some materials, including:

• general waste
• clean concrete
• clean soil.

Learn about waste disposal fees

Every visit makes a difference

By sorting your waste and recycling as much as possible, you help:

• reduce waste sent to landfill
• recover valuable materials
• make recycling more efficient
• support a cleaner and more sustainable city.