x__32__fill__social media twitter voice record__64__outline__user profile avatar contact person volume sound users member human speaker record voice recorder speach speak apartment__64__fill__building home house hotel apartment property flat residence
    0 results available.

    Rubbish and recycling

    How to recycle and why

    Disposal fees

    The following materials are accepted free of charge for recycling at Council refuse transfer stations and community recycling centres.


    Aluminium/tin cans

    Please rinse cans. No foil food containers.

    Clear plastics numbered #1

    Clear bottles and clean clear meat trays. These must have the number 1 recycling symbol.

    Important! From mid-July 2025 coloured 1 (PET) plastics will not be accepted at council waste transfer and recycling stations for recycling.

    Plastics numbered #2

    Milk and cream bottles (including Anchor products), opaque, non-coloured cleaning product containers and coloured plastics, such as cleaning products and cosmetic containers. Please note these must have the number 2 recycling symbol.

    Plastics numbered #5

    Accepted items include some food containers, takeaway containers, yoghurt pottles and grocery packaging displaying the #5 recycling symbol.

    Tip! The number identifying the plastic is normally found on the bottom of the bottle or container. All other plastics not listed above should be included in household rubbish.

    Cardboard and paper

    Please flatten cardboard before recycling. Tetra Pak food and beverage cartons (such as oat milk cartons), plastic-coated cardboard, and wax-coated cardboard are not accepted for recycling.


    Glass bottles and jars

    Please separate glass by colour: clear, green, and brown.

    Note: Window, frosted, crystal or reinforced glass cannot be accepted.

    Other Materials Accepted for Recycling

    • Waste oil (up to 5 litres, then 20c per litre thereafter)
    • Batteries
    • Whiteware and scrap metal
    • Wet cell and dry cell batteries

    Note: Whiteware and scrap metal are accepted at Site Class 1 and 2 refuse transfer stations and landfill facilities only.

    Tyres

    You can dispose of up to five end-of-life tyres for free of charge through the Tyrewise scheme. Please ensure tyres are removed from their rims before dropping them off.

    Charges at refuse transfer stations are per tyre:

    • Motorcycle tyres - FREE
    • Passenger car tyres - FREE
    • Light truck and 4x4 tyres - FREE
    • Truck tyres - FREE
    • Tractor and super single - FREE
    • Earth mover tyres - NOT ACCEPTED

    General waste

    • Per bag (standard 65L) $4.00
    • Oversized bag (130L) $7.00
    • Wheelie bin (240L) $12.50
    • Loose material (per m3) $52.00
    • Compacted and heavy material (per m3) $84.00

    From mid-July 2025 disposing of coloured 1 (PET) plastics will attract the same charge as other household waste going to landfill.

    E-Waste

    The council subsidises the recycling of eWaste because it contains heavy metals and other toxic materials we want to keep out of our environment.

    Refuse transfer station charges for eWaste are:

    • TVs / computer CRT screens $10
    • TVs Flat Screen $10
    • Monitors LCD $5
    • PCs  Desktop/laptop/server $5 each
    • Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) $5
    • Laptop batteries $5
    • Network equipment $5.

    Greenwaste

    Greenwaste is accepted at some refuse transfer stations at a cost of $22 per cubic metre. Please refer to our Rubbish and recycling stations page to see which facilities accept green waste.

    Note: Branch diameter cannot exceed 75mm. We cannot accept flax, toi toi, bamboo, pampas grass, phoenix palm or cabbage tree.

    Questions and answers

    The following materials are accepted free of charge for recycling at Council refuse transfer stations and community recycling centres.


    Aluminium/tin cans

    Please rinse cans. No foil food containers.

    Clear plastics numbered #1

    Clear bottles and clean clear meat trays. These must have the number 1 recycling symbol.

    Important! From mid-July 2025 coloured 1 (PET) plastics will not be accepted at council waste transfer and recycling stations for recycling.

    Plastics numbered #2

    Milk and cream bottles (including Anchor products), opaque, non-coloured cleaning product containers and coloured plastics, such as cleaning products and cosmetic containers. Please note these must have the number 2 recycling symbol.

    Plastics numbered #5

    Accepted items include some food containers, takeaway containers, yoghurt pottles and grocery packaging displaying the #5 recycling symbol.


    Tip! The number identifying the plastic is normally found on the bottom of the bottle or container. All other plastics not listed above should be included in household rubbish.

    Cardboard and paper

    Please flatten cardboard before recycling. Tetra Pak food and beverage cartons (such as oat milk cartons), plastic-coated cardboard, and wax-coated cardboard are not accepted for recycling.


    Glass bottles and jars

    Please separate glass by colour: clear, green, and brown.

    Note: Window, frosted, crystal or reinforced glass cannot be accepted.

    Other Materials Accepted for Recycling

    • Waste oil (up to 5 litres, then 20c per litre thereafter)
    • Batteries
    • Whiteware and scrap metal
    • Wet cell and dry cell batteries

    Note: Whiteware and scrap metal are accepted at Site Class 1 and 2 refuse transfer stations and landfill facilities only.

    Tyres

    You can dispose of up to five end-of-life tyres for free of charge through the Tyrewise scheme. Please ensure tyres are removed from their rims before dropping them off.

    • Motorcycle tyres - FREE
    • Passenger car tyres - FREE
    • Light truck and 4x4 tyres - FREE
    • Truck tyres - FREE
    • Tractor and super single - FREE
    • Earth mover tyres - NOT ACCEPTED

    You can find your nearest transfer station or community recycling centre here.

    The council is working on expanding the network of refuse transfer stations and community recycling centres in the Far North so that the majority of residents will be within a 15-minute drive from a recycling centre.

    • Per bag (standard 65L) $4.00
    • Oversized bag (130L) $7.00
    • Wheelie bin (240L) $12.50
    • Loose material (per m3) $52.00
    • Compacted and heavy material (per m3) $84.00

    From mid-July 2025 disposing of coloured 1 (PET) plastics will attract the same charge as other household waste going to landfill.

    Rubbish disposal operates on a user-pays basis. This means the cost of collecting, transporting, processing, and disposing of waste is paid by the people who generate it, rather than being funded through rates.

    A user-pays system also helps ensure that those who generate more waste contribute more towards the cost of managing it. During the summer holiday period, the Far North experiences a significant increase in visitors and the volume of rubbish almost doubles. User-pays ensures that visitors contribute to the cost of rubbish disposal, helping reduce the burden on local ratepayers.

    Prices for rubbish bags at transfer stations are set by the council. This charge goes towards waste disposal at landfill, processing of recycling, staff costs, and maintenance of the transfer station. The money from prepaid bags goes to the waste company, not to the council.

    Kerbside collection services are not available on all rural roads. If your property is not serviced by a collection vehicle, you can place your pre-paid rubbish bag at the nearest approved collection point. These collection points are typically located at road intersections or designated lay-bys and are clearly marked with collection point signage. Click here to view or download a PDF version of the collection point list.

    The council subsidises the recycling of eWaste because it contains heavy metals and other toxic materials we want to keep out of our environment.

    Refuse transfer station charges for eWaste are:

    • TVs / computer CRT screens $10
    • TVs Flat Screen $10
    • Monitors LCD $5
    • PCs  Desktop/laptop/server $5 each
    • Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) $5
    • Laptop batteries $5
    • Network equipment $5.

    Greenwaste is accepted at some refuse transfer stations at a cost of $22 per cubic metre. Please refer to our Rubbish and recycling stations page to see which facilities accept green waste.

    Note: Branch diameter cannot exceed 75mm. We cannot accept flax, toi toi, bamboo, pampas grass, phoenix palm or cabbage tree.

    You can dispose of up to five end-of-life tyres for free of charge through the Tyrewise scheme. Please ensure tyres are removed from their rims before dropping them off.

    • Motorcycle tyres - FREE
    • Passenger car tyres - FREE
    • Light truck and 4x4 tyres - FREE
    • Truck tyres - FREE
    • Tractor and super single - FREE
    • Earth mover tyres - NOT ACCEPTED

    Far North businesses can make a significant contribution to reducing waste. Council encourages businesses to minimise waste, recycle correctly, and explore opportunities for reuse and resource recovery to help create a cleaner and more sustainable Far North.

    Farmers and rural businesses can recycle a range of agricultural plastics through the Plasback recycling programme. Visit the Plasback website for information on accepted materials, collection locations, and recycling options.

    Last updated: 17 Sep 2026 2:31pm