Bins Disposal Guide

Tips to reduce your general waste:

• Avoid purchasing items that are not recyclable.
• Some products, including nappies and other hygiene products can't be recycled or turned into high quality compost and must still be placed in your red (general waste) bin.
• Some Tetrapak items (such as juice boxes) have the 10c symbol - rather than putting them in general waste, they can go to Containers for Change. Make sure you take the little straw out! All other Tetrapaks eg. long-life milk have to go in general waste (take the lid off so they can be compacted to take up less space).
• Take certain items that can be hazardous to a drop-off point. Recycling hubs that collect printer cartridges, mobile phones, batteries and light globes are situated throughout the City. For more information see our Hazardous Waste page.
• Can items be taken to a charity shop, repaired or repurposed so they avoid going in landfill?
• Remember, it is an offence to put household or commercial rubbish in public place bins or to dump waste (this is littering). Make sure your bin lids are closed to avoid litter escaping into our beautiful environment.

General Waste Bin Disposal Guide

General Waste Tips Fact Sheet

Tips with your recycling bin:

• Check it before you chuck it - make sure you read the recycling label (not the plastics type) see the Planet Ark ARL website for more information.
• Rinse pet food tins, yoghurt tubs and other packaging that contains remnants of food waste before placing it into the bin. Lids must be removed and loose in the bin (not in bags).
• Lids smaller than the palm of an adults' hand go in the general waste and larger than that go in recycling. However, if you're visiting Containers for Change - you can take the lids there (in a separate container) or to the Walliston Transfer Station.*
• Food and liquids can't go in the recycling bin - it ruins the recycling process.
• If your recycling bin is full, you can take household quantities of recyclables to Walliston Transfer Station*. 
• Another option is to take your eligible drink containers to Containers for Change for a refund of 10 cents each or you can organise a Containers for Change bin at your house.
• Items such as hoses and other non-recyclable plastics such as soft plastics, Christmas trees, old toys etc can't be placed in the recycling bin.
• Shredded paper can't go in the recycling bin - however it can go in FOGO!

* To enter Walliston Transfer Station to take your recyclable items for free, ID and Entry Pass are still required.

Recycling Bin Disposal Guide

3-bin system Tips Fact Sheet

Tips with your FOGO bin:

• Plastic is a no-go in FOGO! Remember, if it didn't live or grow, it's not FOGO.
• Make the most of your FOGO bin. Use it for all food scraps, garden prunings, weeds, honkey nuts, used tissues and paper towel, food soiled cardboard (like pizza boxes), shredded paper and pet poo.
• Newspaper needs to go in the recycling bin.
• Instead of putting food waste in landfill (red general waste bin), this can go into organics (green) bins to be turned into high quality compost.
• Some items that claim they are compostable (such as coffee cups) may not be able to go in FOGO due to a plastic lining. Make sure you check for the Compostable logo (Australian Standard AS 4736).
• Please don't line your FOGO wheelie bin with bin liners - even if you secure the liner, they often come off and contaminate the bin truck.

Green Lid FOGO Bin Disposal Guide

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