Kerbside rubbish and recycling collections
Kerbside services in the Far North are not provided by council
Kerbside rubbish and recycling services in the Far North are provided independently by private waste management companies. These are not funded or contracted by the council. These commercial operators decide what services are provided, where, how much is charged and what items are accepted for recycling. You can purchase pre-paid rubbish bags, recycling bags or recycling bin tags from supermarkets and most local dairies and superettes.
Which bag is right for you?
For information on the areas served, collection days, and what types of rubbish and recycling are collected, please contact these companies directly. They can also tell you where to purchase pre-paid rubbish bags and provide details about additional services, such as skip bins, and wheelie and recycle bins.
Questions and answers
Northern part of the district
- RECYCLING - Northland Waste offers kerbside recycling services
- RUBBISH - Northland Waste offers kerbside rubbish services.
Southern part of the district
- RECYCLING - only Northland Waste offers kerbside recycling services here
- RUBBISH - both Northland Waste and Waste Management offer kerbside rubbish services in selected areas.
Northland Waste
Waste Management
The companies decide what level of service is provided, what areas are serviced, how much is charged and what is collected for recycling.
Northland Waste offers a user-pays kerbside recycling service in the Far North.
Collection days for the recycling service align with Northland Waste’s rubbish collection days.
More information is available about collections at Find your local collection day | Northland Waste.
Northland Waste
Waste collectors have different coloured rubbish bags, stickers or recycling tags. You can buy these from your local supermarket, petrol station or dairy. Contact either Northland Waste or Waste Management for more details.
Northland Waste will collect recycling tags and bags with Waste Management branding until Sunday 31 August 2025.
Rubbish should go out after 12 noon the day before your collection is due or before 7am on collection day.
The maximum weight of prepaid bags is 10kg.
Rubbish bags should not contain more than:
- 20% recyclables (plastic, cardboard, etc)
- 20% food waste
- and no green waste (unless they are listed pest plants).
Collections are user-pays. The collection and disposal fee is included in the price of the prepaid rubbish bag, stickers and tags for recycling bins.
Prepaid rubbish bags can only be left outside your own property or at an approved collection point. These are often located at an intersection and are clearly signposted.
Some rural residents need to leave prepaid bags at approved collection points because the waste collectors don’t collect from their road. These are often located at an intersection and are clearly signposted.