Your bins and what can go in them

Your household waste, recycling and garden organics bin

All households that pay the domestic waste service charge on their rates have three bins, including a red or dark green lid garbage bin, yellow lid recycling bin, and lime green lid garden organics bin.

To find out the days your bin is serviced please check the bin collections page.

Waste bins are provided by Council and remain the property of Council, so should you have any collection issues, or a damaged or stolen bin you can lodge a request online here or contact us and report the issue to arrange for a repair or replacement.

If you have any issues or concerns in regards to your recycling or garden organics bin please contact:

Recycling bin

  • Call Hunter Resource Recovery on 1800 838 884

Garden organics bin

 

Your waste service and what can go in your bin
Garbage bin service

Your general waste garbage bin may have either a dark green lid or if the bin is newer it will have a red lid. General waste from this garbage bin is picked up from the kerbside on a weekly basis and is transported and processed into landfill.

Find your weekly collection day by visiting the bin collections page.

Examples of what can go in my garbage bin?

  • Food

  • Nappies
  • Plastic wrap (cling and Glad wrap)
  • Styrofoam
  • Plastic bags
  • Broken glass (wrapped in newspaper).

What can't go in my garbage bin?

  • Gas cylinders and fire extinguishers
  • Liquid wastes such as chemicals, paints and oils
  • Household and car batteries
  • Explosive, flammable, corrosive, toxic or radioactive wastes
  • Tyres.

To find out where you can dispose of these items, go to the Mount Vincent Road Waste Management Centre information page.

Recycling bin service

The collection of recyclables is managed by Hunter Resource Recovery and is a combined initiative of Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Singleton and Maitland councils.

Your recycling bin with the yellow lid is emptied fortnightly from your kerbside and materials are taken to the Material Recovery Facility at Gateshead where they are sorted and separated into material types (paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, steel cans and milk/juice cartons).

What can I put in my Recycling bin?

Here is a quick list to help you sort through what can go into your recycling bin:

  • Glass jars and bottles only (remove the caps and lids and place in separately).
  • Paper and cardboard (please remove plastic bags from cereal boxes).
  • Rigid plastic bottles and containers (except for motor oil containers).
  • Steel and aluminium cans.

Hunter Resource Recovery also provide a detailed A-Z Guide of accepted items for your recycling bin.

The recycling service is managed by Hunter Resource Recovery. Please report your missed bin to them directly on 1800 838 884.

Garden organics bin service

Your Garden Organics bin with a lime green lid is emptied fortnightly from your kerbside and taken to Australian Native Landscapes composting facility in Tea Gardens where it is turned into mulch and compost that can be used at parks, sporting grounds or for agricultural purposes.

The Garden Organics Service is a collaboration between Maitland, Cessnock and Singleton councils.

The garden organics service is managed by Solo. Please report your missed bin to them directly on 1800 870 250.

What can I put in my Garden Organics Bin?

  • Grass clippings
  • Prunings
  • All weeds
  • Leaves
  • Flowers
  • Plants
  • Bark
  • Sticks and small branches (max. diameter 10cm)
  • Roots (max. diameter 10cm)
  • Palm fronds.