Recycling alignment FAQs

Why is it happening?

Inner West Council is streamlining the recycling collection service for single dwellings in the North Area (former Leichhardt Council). The 120 litre blue-lid paper bin and 120 litre yellow-lid recycling bin will be replaced with one 240 litre yellow-lid recycling bin for all recyclables, including paper. This service improvement will reduce truck movements through less collections and will not impact the recycling quality because of advancements in recycling technology. Having one bin instead of two for recycling will mean there are less bins taking up space and one less bin to wheel in and out for collection.

Which suburbs are affected?

Residents who live in houses in Annandale, Balmain, Balmain East, Birchgrove, Leichhardt, Lilyfield and Rozelle will have their 120 litre blue-lid paper bin and 120 litre yellow-lid container bins replaced with a 240 litre yellow-lid mixed recycling bin.

Some residents in smaller apartment blocks will have their bins changed over.

Larger apartment blocks with shared 240 litre bins will keep their blue-lid bins, but from 1 July 2023 both the blue and yellow lidded bins will be collected every 2 weeks (fortnightly) and emptied into the same truck.

The fortnightly service will be the same as your current yellow bin collection day (yellow dot on your waste calendar).

What do I need to do?

1. After your new yellow-lid mixed recycling bin arrives, please take it onto your property then on your next collection day, place both the old yellow and blue lid bins out for emptying and removal.

2. Council will empty the old bins and place them upside down on the footpath.

3. Another crew will collect these within 72 hours. Please note, bins brought back onto private property cannot be removed.

4. Once your old bins have been removed start using your new yellow-lid mixed recycling bin which will be collected fortnightly on your usual collection day (yellow dot on your waste calendar). Place all recyclables (paper, cardboard and containers) into the new bin. 

What if I’m not home during the rollout of the new bin?

Please ask a neighbour, family or friends to place your old bins out for collection and take your new recycling bin onto your property. Please check the label on the bin to ensure it belongs to your address.

When will I receive my new larger 240 litre yellow-lid mixed recycling bin?

Delivery of the new 240 litre mixed recycled bins will start in July and be delivered over an 8-week period.

When will my blue-lid paper bin and small yellow-lid recycling bin be taken away by Council?

Please refer to the FAQ question 'What do I need to do' above on this page. 

Are all housing types affected? i.e., houses, terraces, multi-unit dwellings, dual occupancies, duplexes, townhouses?

Single dwellings or houses including detached, semi-detached, terraces, duplexes, townhouses, dual occupancies and some small multi-unit dwellings with separate bins for each household will receive this service improvement. Each affected property received a letter outlining this service change in early June.

I live in an apartment block – what is changing?

Multi-unit dwellings (apartment buildings) with shared bins in the affected suburbs will continue to use both blue and yellow lidded bins for recycling. From July, both blue and yellow-lidded recycling bins will be emptied into the same mixed recycling truck and taken for processing at the same facility. The blue lidded bins will have their lids changed to yellow at a later date.

For multi-unit properties with an existing Monday collection there are no changes. Check the waste calendar to see if this affects you.

For multi-unit properties with an existing Tuesday to Friday collection both your existing yellow and blue lidded bins will be collected fortnightly. Please present both bins on your existing yellow lidded bin collection day (yellow dot on waste calendar).

What size are the new bins and how much do they weigh?

The dimensions of a 240 litre bin are: 1060mm (height) × 585mm (width) × 730mm (depth).

The dimensions of a 120 litre bin are a little smaller – however, having two 120 litre bins for recyclables takes up more room. The dimensions for a 120 litre bin are 930mm height × 480mm width × 480mm depth (545mm depth allowing for handle). This saves 375mm width and 360mm depth of bin space. Visit the Sulo website for specific bin dimensions.

Bin weight: 120L empty weighs 9.3kg and 240L empty weighs 12.5kg.

Contents: Audits of Inner West recycling bins show that the average 240 litre recycling bin collected fortnightly contains 8.2kg of recyclable material. On average, houses produce 30.4kg of waste a fortnight (19.8 kg Garbage, 8.2kg recycling and 2.4kg garden organics).

Therefore, an average 240L fortnightly mixed recycling bin weighs 20.7kg with contents compared to an average 120L garbage bin which weighs 22.4kg each week.

What items can I place in my new recycling bin?

Recycling will be even easier, as all of your recyclables go together in one bin. No more debating whether an egg carton is a container or paper and cardboard!

• Glass bottles and jars
• Steel and aluminium cans
• Aluminium foil - clean and scrunched up into a small ball
• Plastic bottles - lids on
• Plastic containers
• Newspaper, cardboard and paper

Please note all containers should be empty.

What items are NOT accepted in my new recycling bin?

• Bagged recycling (put it in loose)
• General rubbish
• Soft plastics
• Tissues, serviettes and other soiled paper
• Clothing and other textiles
• Polystyrene foam
• Broken ceramics, crockery
• Nappies
• Pyrex and drinking glasses, mirrors

When can I start using my new bin? Are there changes to collection dates?

Please refer to the FAQ question 'What do I need to do' above on this page. 

If you live in a multi-unit dwelling, see FAQ question ' I live in a multi-unit dwelling' above on this page.

Can I keep my existing bins?

The new mixed recycling service will collected every 2 weeks (fortnightly). You may choose to keep your small 120 litre yellow-lid bin and/or crates if you know they are big enough to hold 2 weeks' worth of recycling. Please log your request through the Council portal to request your small bins not be removed, and to cancel the new 240 litre mixed recycling bin delivery. 

Will my old bins be reused or recycled?

Yes!  Bins that are in good condition will be reused and the rest will be recycled and made into new bins.  Your new bins are also made from 40% recycled content.

What if my old bins went missing?

That's OK. A new bin will be delivered, and you can commence using that one.

Can I have an additional recycling bin?

Yes – we can provide additional recycling bins if you need them. Most households don’t need an additional recycling bin and by folding cardboard packaging/boxes have enough space. If you are finding you need an extra recycling bin, please log your request through the Council portal.

Accessibility and access concerns

We understand some residents and households may have specific challenges with a 240-litre sized bin. 

Please try the new bin, and if it’s not working let us know through the Council portal or call Customer Service on 9392 5000.

Or you may choose to keep your 120 litre yellow-lid bin and/or crates if you know they are big enough to hold 2 weeks' worth of recycling. Please use the Council portalto request your small bins not be removed, and to cancel the new 240 litre mixed recycling bin delivery.

Should I bring my old bins inside after I receive my new 240 litre recycling bin?

Please refer to the FAQ question 'What do I need to do' above on this page.

Will Council continue to service blue-lid bins?

No, your blue-lid paper bins will not be serviced.

What if I didn’t receive a letter?

If you haven't received a letter, it means your property is not affected – so please continue using your existing bins. If you believe your property is part of the new recycling bin rollout and has been missed, please contact Council on 9392 5000.

During large delivery projects, delays and errors may occur. We ask you for your patience and understanding during this rollout period and will do our best to deliver your new bin and retrieve your existing bins in a timely manner.

If you have questions or concerns not addressed online, please contact us at rethink.waste@innerwest.nsw.gov.au