A-Z Guide of waste
Click here for more information on:
Why the three bins?
We all need to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills – it’s as simple as that. Keeping food waste out of landfill is one of the easiest things we can do to help the environment.
Since the introduction of the new collection service, Richmond Valley residents have helped divert 3000 tonnes of food and garden organics from landfill… that is 500 tonnes more than expected. This is a fantastic effect but we still have a bit of a way to go, with our 2016 composition audit still showing that 26% of what is in our red-lidded landfill bin is food organics.
Our Food and Garden organics is processed locally at a regional organics facility where the waste is shredded and pasteurised into certified organic compost, which is then suitable for use by organic farmers and producers.
Weekly food and garden organics service green bin
- All food scraps including meat, seafood, dairy and citrus
- Meat bones and seafood shells and bones (including prawns, oysters etc.)
- Dairy products including yoghurt, cheese
- Bread, pasta and rice
- Dried food products, including cereals, flours and grains
- Coffee grindings
- Grass clippings, leaves, flowers and weeds
- Prunings and palm fronds (max 60cm long x 10 cm diameter)
- Compostable liners – Australian standard certified compostable (AS4736) only
Click here to view a FAQ sheet on recent FOGO changes
Let’s Get Our Scrap Together – FOGO
Fortnightly recycling service – yellow bin
The following items can be placed in your fortnightly yellow-lidded recycling bin:
- Paper and cardboard
- Milk and juice cartons
- Magazines, newspapers and books
- Glass bottles and jars
- Aerosol cans (empty)
- Aluminium cans
- Steel cans/ food tins (empty)
- Hard plastic bottles – incl. shampoo, milk and juice bottles
- Plastic takeaway food containers
- Yoghurt containers
Recycle Right – 6 new key messages to keep our recycling as clean as possible
- Keep it simple: only recycle
– Paper and cardboard
– Steel and aluminium cans
– Glass bottles and jars
– Plastic bottles and containers - Keep out soft plastics: no degradable, biodegradable or compostable bags of any sort.
- Keep out the small items: nothing smaller than a credit card.
- Keep it safe: keep out strapping line, hose, netting, wires, building materials, broken glass, chemicals and other hazardous materials.
- Keep it clean: rinse or wipe out containers.
- Keep it loose: don’t bag or box your recyclables.
Click here for more information on the fortnightly recycling service – yellow bin.
Fortnightly landfill service – red bin
- Disposable nappies
- All wipes
- Clothing
- String/twine
- Cigarette butts
- Kitty litter
- Laminated paper
- Treated timber
Click here for more information on the fortnightly landfill service – red bin.
If you are concerned about how to manage nappies and other sanitary items in your fortnightly rubbish service, please download our Nappy fact sheet or contact our Waste Hotline on 02 6660 0300