Don't waste it: Getting the most out of your green bin

January 14, 2020

Since the roll-out of green bins to all of Canberra in April last year, more than 8000 tonnes of green waste has been recovered for conversion into mulch products.

Here are some top tips for using your green waste bin:

❌ No matter the type of plastic bag (including biodegradable, compostable or potting mix bags), it can't go in your green bin
❌ Recyclables contaminate the end product and can damage processing machinery - chuck these in your yellow bin instead. Lining your bin with newspaper is a no-no.
❌ Anything over 10 centimetres in diameter doesn't belong in the green waste bin - they can jam machinery and damage the trucks
❌ Over-filled bins can't be safely lifted by the collection trucks. If you have too much material, you can drop your green waste for free at Canberra Sand and Gravel
❌ Food waste cannot yet be processed via your green bin (although we're investigating how to go about this). Try ShareWaste instead

✅ Bins need to be less than 50kgs to be safely lifted by the collection truck
✅ Place sticks, prunings and twigs at the bottom of your bin to minimise the chances of materials like glass clippings getting stuck in the bin
✅ Loosen any wet waste the night before collection with a garden fork, spade or even a stick to help ensure all materials empty from you bin