Bins and Collections

Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling provides weekly collection of general waste bins (red lid) and fortnightly collection of recycling bins (yellow lid), scheduled as either Week 1 or Week 2. Use the Recycling Bin Fortnightly Service Calendar as a helpful reminder.

Check your wheelie bin collection day in our handy ‘search your bin day’ tool.

 Alternatively, contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4932 9000.

Wheelie bins are collected every business day of the year, including Christmas Day.

To assist with a timely and efficient bin collection service, please ensure:

• bins are placed up on the kerb and not down in the gutter, with the lid opening facing towards the street, 

•  bins placed at least 30cm apart, at least 1m away from parked vehicles, other obstacles and low hanging branches, and

• bin lids are closed.

Please note:

• bins will be serviced ANYTIME between 6am and 6pm on your collection day,

• you are permitted to place your bins out the night before but storage of bins permanently on the street is not permitted, 

• bins are collected every business day of the year, including Christmas Day, and

• if you live in a cul-de-sac, laneway or commercial area, you may receive a bin placement sticker with specific instructions.

If your bin day falls on a public holiday it will be collected as usual. Household bins are collected every week-day of the year, including Christmas Day.

If your bin doesn’t get collected and you don’t have a sticker on your bin, contact Council and, if there was no mistake on your part, we’ll arrange a free missed collection service.

If your bin doesn't get serviced due to an issue, Council will place a sticker on your bin telling you why. 

We can't service your bin if it:

• can’t be accessed safely,
• is too heavy,
• is not presented at the time of service,
• is contaminated with hazardous waste or the wrong items,
• is not an approved Council bin, or
• is not in the Council rating assessment.

Providing the issue is addressed, Council will collect your bin as normal in the following service.

Please note:

If your bin was not presented or incorrectly presented (after notice sticker), Council does not return to service unless the customer pays for additional services.

 If your recycling bin is not being used correctly it won’t be collected and Council will issue a notification letter. If three letters are issued in a 12 month period, it will be removed.

For more information, refer to Council’s Waste & Recycling Policy.

If your Council issued bin/s are stolen, removed, vandalised or damaged, please contact the Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling team or use e-Services to organise the repair or replacement of your bin/s.

Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling issues general waste bins (red lid) and recycling bins (yellow lid) to residents living in declared collection areas of the Rockhampton Region including; Rockhampton, Gracemere, Mount Morgan, Stanwell, Bouldercombe, Westwood, Gogango, Bajool, Marmor, Kabra, Pink Lily, Alton Downs and Limestone Creek.

Rockhampton Region residents that live outside of Council’s declared bin collection areas do not receive a kerbside bin collection service. If your property is not located within a bin collection area, Council provides a number of Waste Management Facilities located throughout the Region.

Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling provides an assisted service to residents who are unable to place their household bins out for collection due to medical conditions. The service includes the retrieval and return of the bin/s from an agreed location within the property boundary.

To receive this service, please provide us with a current medical certificate/letter from a general practitioner or medical professional indicating that you are unable to place the mobile bin out for collection. An updated medical certificate/letter must be provided each financial year for ongoing services.

The assisted service will commence within ten working days of the application being approved by Council.

If you need an assisted service, please contact the Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling team to submit an Wheelie Bin Collection Assisted Services Form.

You can request an additional general waste and/or recycling service, additional bins, or to cancel a collection service or additional bin. Charges for the requested additional services will be rated accordingly. 

Should you want to add, change or cancel a bin or bin service, please complete and submit the Wheelie Bin Collection Services Form to one of Council’s Customer Service Centre's. 

Please note that: 

• Adding a one-off additional bin collection must be paid up front, prior to the scheduled collection date.
•  Adding a brand-new bin service for a new property will incur charges included in your rates notice and must be located within a declared collection area.
• Adding an additional bin service will incur charges included in your rates notice, is available only to those who already receive a kerbside waste collections service, residents renting a property must have their form submitted by the property owner or delegated Property Manager and domestic properties can only receive the extra collection on the same day as their current service. Additional bin collections and services can be cancelled by completing and submitting the Wheelie Bin Collection Services Form to one of Council’s Customer Service Centres. A minimum of 10 working days is required to cancel the service, upon receipt of application. Charges will cease from the date the bins are removed. 

Please note: 

• If you are cancelling a domestic bin service, the minimum service of one red-lid general waste and one yellow-lid recycling bin must remain for a domestic residence, OR the domestic premise must be declared as an uninhabitable dwelling by Council, or demolished. 
•  Cancelling a commercial wheelie bin service requires proof with the application that an approved waste removal entity has been engaged to replace Council’s waste service and if the service is recommenced an establishment fee will be included in the rates notice. 

Council's Local Law No. 8 (Waste Management) 2018, outlines the regulations for the storage, servicing, and removal of waste.

If you would like to report the misuse of a wheelie bin contact Council's Local Laws team on 07 4932 9000.

Bins should be in place no longer than 24 hours before or after the scheduled collection day for the collection of waste.

Any issues relating to a person who is not residing at a property, found rummaging through wheelie bins located within private property boundary's, should be referred to the Queensland Police Service. If wheelie bins are located on the kerb at the time of the rummaging, please contact Rockhampton Regional Council's Local Laws team on 07 4932 9000.

Tips to help with your red lid bin:

• Store your bin out of direct sunlight in a well ventilated area.
• Bag or box green waste to keep it contained during collection.
• Wrap and freeze smelly items, like prawn shells, until your weekly bin collection day.
• Consider staggering large quantities of spoilt, green or rotten fallen fruit, such as mangos, as they can become too heavy and cause odour and bin weight issues.  
• Keep the bin lid closed to deter animals and insects.
• Hose out and disinfect your bin after collection.

You can also search local directories for local companies who provide bin cleaning services for a fee.

Bin considerations during severe weather events

During severe weather, such as heavy wind and rain it will help to keep bin lids closed keep bin lids closed while out for collection and return bins to a secure storage location as soon practical once collection occurs.

To help keep bins secure on your property during weather events, you could tie bins down, or if empty - fill them with enough water to weigh them down.

Importantly, during a disaster and the Local Disaster Coordination Centre is enacted, keep up to date with information, including bin collection services via Council’s Emergency Dashboard.

Waste and recycling service charges for domestic and commercial customers are listed in Council's Revenue Statement within the annual budget, look under Utility Charges.