Assisted bin service (blue dot service)
Our Assisted Waste Collection Service is available for residents who are physically unable to move their bins kerbside for collection due to a medical condition, age, or disability.
How to apply
Here’s how you can apply for the Assisted Waste Collection Service:
- Receive a certificate from a doctor supporting your need for assistance
- Complete an application online or in person
- We will contact you to organise an inspection of your property
- Council staff will collect your bin from a designated spot at the front of your property, empty the bin, and return it to the same location.
What goes in my bins?
Red general waste bin
Your general waste bin is collected weekly, and typically has a red lid, or a dark green lid if it’s an older bin. Prohibited items can be disposed of at the waste facility.
- Food
- Nappies
- Cling wrap and Glad wrap
- Styrofoam
- Plastic bags
- Broken glass wrapped in newspaper
- Gas cylinders
- Fire extinguishers
- Liquid wastes
- Household and car batteries
- Explosive, flammable or toxic wastes
- Tyres
Yellow recycling bin
Your recycling bin is collected fortnightly and has a yellow lid. It’s emptied on opposite weeks to your green organics bin.
Tip: If you’re unsure if a plastic bottle or container can be recycled, squeeze it! If it returns to its original shape, you can put it in your recycling.
- Glass jars and bottles
- Paper and cardboard
- Plastic bottles and containers
- Steel and aluminium cans
- Plastic bags
- Soft plastic packaging
- Plastic toys
- Metal pots and pans
- Clothing and footwear
- Nappies
Green garden organics bin
Your green organics bin is collected fortnightly and has a lime green lid. It’s emptied on opposite weeks to your recycling bin.
- Grass clippings
- Weeds
- Leaves and prunings
- Plants and flowers
- Bark, sticks and branches
- Roots
- Palm fronds
- Food waste
- Any type of plastic
- Animal droppings
- Timber products
- Cardboard and paper
- Metal products
- Rocks and soil
What happens to my waste?
Our waste team collects and disposes of your red bin, while Hunter Resource Recovery services your yellow bin, and Solo Resource Recovery services your green bin.
General waste
Your general waste is taken to Maitland Resource Recovery Facility and processed into landfill.
Recycling
Your recycling waste is taken to the Material Recovery Facility at Gateshead where material types are separated to be recycled.
Garden Organics
Your organics waste is taken to the Australian Native Landscapes composting facility in Tea Gardens, where it's turned into mulch and compost that can be used at parks, sporting fields and agriculture.