Council clean-up and extra red-lid bin collection

Booked Council clean-up

Residents can book in for a bulky waste collection, where Council collects large, damaged household items that are too big for your bins. There are four collection categories, make sure you choose the right one.

While some collection categories will be recycled, bulky household items and furniture bookings are taken to landfill. Before booking a clean-up, consider if any of the items can be re-used, donated, or sold!

Check out reuse options here, or check our drop downs below for more information about what happens to your clean-ups.

Book a clean-up

Clean-up categories

There are four different types of clean-up categories. Find out what we do and don't collect under each category below.

Bulky household items and furniture

All items collected in this category will be taken straight to landfill. Please refer to our reuse options page for more information about the many options available to you for free.

What we do collect

• Broken furniture and damaged household items
• Unusable timber and bed frames
• Used floor coverings
• Broken small appliances (these can be dropped off at one of our Community Recycling Centres)

What we don't collect

• Car parts
• Paint, oils, gas cylinders, batteries, fluorescent lamps/tubes, smoke alarms (these can be dropped off at one of our Community Recycling Centres by residents every weekend)
• Building materials such as bricks, concrete, soil, sand, asbestos (see business recycling on our website for drop off options)
• Household garbage
• Items that cannot be lifted by two people

Branches

Items collected through the branches clean-up will be taken to our organics processing centre.

What we do collect

• Tree branches, bundled and tied
• Real Christmas trees, bundled and tied
  
  (Maximum 1 metre in length and 15 centimetres in diameter)

What we don't collect

• Tree stumps
• Dirt
• Leaves in plastic bags
• Rocks
• Building rubble
• Garden hoses
• General household garbage
• Timber off cuts, untreated and painted

Metal and whitegoods

Items collected through the Metal and White Goods clean-up will be taken to our contractor for recycling. Find out more about this process here.

What we collect

• BBQs
• Stoves
• Microwaves
• Fridges and Freezers
• Washing machines and dryers
• Hot water systems
• Guttering (maximum 1.8 metres long)
• Single sheet galvanised iron (maximum 1.8 m long)
• Metal bed frames
• Electric heaters
• Gas heaters

What we don't collect

• Car parts
• Paint, oils, gas cylinders, batteries, fluorescent lamps/tubes, smoke alarms (these can be dropped off at one of our Community Recycling Centres by residents every weekend)
• Building materials such as bricks, concrete, soil, sand, asbestos (see business recycling on our website for drop off options)
• Recyclables
• Building rubble
• Polystyrene foam
• Oil heaters (these can be dropped off at one of our Household Chemical Cleanout and e-waste events)

Mattresses

Items collected through Mattress clean-ups are taken to Soft Landing and Mattress Recycler for recycling. Find out more about this process on our website.

What we collect

• Mattresses
• Ensemble bases
• Futons

What we don't collect

• Sofa beds
• Metal bed frames
• Timber bed frames
• Pillows
• Air mattresses

Terms and conditions

Please read the terms and conditions below to avoid delays with your collection.

• Your booking is only confirmed when you receive a booking reference number.
• Booked clean-ups are only for properties paying a domestic waste management charge.
• Choose the correct category and check the accepted items list.
• Plan ahead.
• There is a limit of no more than two cubic metres (2 metres × 1 metre × 1 metre) per collection. A $170.60 charge applies to an extra collection of up to 2 cubic metres (bulky household items and furniture category only).
• Any changes to bookings, including cancellations, must be made 48 hours before your collection date.
• Collections larger than the 2 cubic square metre limit will not be collected.
• Place items neatly on the street the evening before collection (not inside your property boundary).
• Remove all doors and locks from refrigerators for safety reasons.
• Ensure items are not blocking the footpath or access.

Clean-up FAQs

1. When do I make my booking?

When you have a significant amount of items that you no longer require and can't donate, sell or reuse, you can book a clean-up. Smaller items that can fit in your fortnightly red garbage bin should go in there. There are a limited number of spots available for clean-up daily, so only book something when you need to.

2. Will I receive a reminder?

Yes. A reminder message will be sent via email. Please ensure you have typed in your correct email and/or mobile number when initially registering.

3. When do I place my items out for collection?

Please place items neatly on the kerb the night before your collection ensuring that your items are not blocking or hindering pedestrian access. Any items placed out earlier could be considered illegal dumping. Items will need to be placed outside your property neatly for the collection crews to remove. The collection crew will not enter your property boundary including your front yard or driveway to collect items.

4. What will happen if I put the wrong items out for collection?

If you have selected the wrong collection type for your items, they will not be collected from the street and you will need to be re-book in the correct category. If there are items that are not accepted as part of our clean-up, they will be left on the street. If you need help finding a suitable place or facility to dispose of your item(s), please visit our A-Z guide or contact Council at rethinkwaste@innerwest.nsw.gov.au

5. What happens if my collection is larger than the permitted 2 cubic metres?

Your collection will not be picked up and you will need to re-book and pay for an additional 2 cubic metres. The fee is $150. This will need be paid before your booking is confirmed.

You can re-book via one of the following options:

• Go online to make a fresh booking and make payment
• Visit a front counter at one of our customer service centres, where a staff member will make a fresh booking and process payment

6. How big is 2 cubic metres?

Two cubic metres equates to 2 metres × 1 metre × 1 metre of space.

Please refer to the diagrams above for size guidelines.

7. Why did I receive an "Items not presented" email from Council when my items were placed out and collected?

Items presented for booked clean-up are occasionally taken by others passing by or neighbours. This is perfectly acceptable and a great way to extend the usefulness of some items. If Council arrives at your property and finds there are no items for collection, they will mark the collection as a non-presentation, prompting an email to be sent. If you notice your items have been taken 48 hours before your collection date, please cancel your booking. If your items are taken within the 48-hour window, your collection has been scheduled and cannot be cancelled. You are not required to take any actions and can ignore the email notification. There is no need to contact Council.

If you receive this email from Council but your items were presented in your driveway, garden, or front yard, you will need to book a new collection. Make sure the items are placed on the verge or footpath outside your property boundary the night before your new booking.

8. Do I need to plan ahead to make a booking?

Yes! There are a limited number of booking slots available daily. Planning ahead and ensuring that you contain the items presented for collection to 2 cubic metres will allow for an optimum service.

9. What happens to my clean-up?

Approximately 75% of household items and furniture collected through the clean-up ends up in landfill. If your items are repairable or in a good condition, please check out our reuse page for more options.

Remember, most electronic waste (e-waste) can be dropped off for free at the Community Recycling Centres in Leichhardt (50-54 Moore Street, Leichhardt) and St Peters (15-17 Unwins Bridge Road, St Peters - entry at rear, through Bolton Street). Please check opening hours and what is accepted here.

10. What if I move out? Can I book in another clean-up?

People moving out may have more than 2 cubic metres to place out for collection. Although the maximum permissible amount is 2 cubic metres, in these circumstances, Council allows an extra 2 cubic metres to be collected for a fee. Alternatively, please use Council's Weekend Waste Transfer Station in Leichhardt and drop off excess items for a fee.

You can book more than one clean-up in a year. If you can’t fit all your items in the 2 cubic metres, you can book an additional free collection for the next available time for your area.

11. What if I live in a unit block?

There is no difference. All you need to do is make a booking under your unit number. Other units within the complex can make bookings at the same time also. Up to 2 cubic metres per booking is permissible.

If your unit number is not coming up in the system, try booking under the main property address before contacting Council.

12. What if there is a system glitch and I can’t make a booking online?

System maintenance may interrupt the system from time to time.  Please note that this is a relatively new booking system and previous booking sign-in username and password, prior to 5 July 2021, will not work. Please ensure you register first. If you are still experiencing difficulties and a booking needs to be made urgently, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 02 9392 5000.

13. How can I be more sustainable?

The most simple and effective way to be more sustainable is to avoid the creation of waste, then reuse and recycle as much as possible, and only book a clean-up as a last resort. Before booking a clean-up, please visit our reuse options page for more sustainable alternatives to getting rid of your unwanted items.

Help and support

How to register using the online clean-up booking portal

Watch our online tutorial:

Or follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Click through to the clean-up booking system, accept the terms and conditions and go to "Sign in".

Step 2: Under the "Welcome" heading of the sign-in page, select "Sign up".

Step 3: Complete the sign-up form. Note down your username.

At the end of the form, check the tick boxes "I agree with Inner West Council's Privacy Policy" and the "I'm not a robot". Press "Continue".

The home screen will display the newly-registered name and address. You are now ready to make a booking by selecting "Book now".

How to make a clean-up booking

Watch our online tutorial:

Or follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Go to the clean-up booking system and accept the terms and conditions.

Step 2: Select "Sign in".

Step 3: Once the sign-in screen loads, type in your username and password and select "Sign in".

Step 4. Type in your address under "select your property".

Step 5. Select "Book now". The following screen will appear:

Step 6: Book the appropriate waste category by selecting the "Book" button. Please read through the "What we collect" link under the button to ensure that your items will be accepted.

Step 7: Follow the prompts by selecting the collection date, collection size and collection point (front, side or rear of the property). Uploading an image is optional. Please note that each property has a designated collection day. Then press "Proceed".

A screen will appear showing the details you've selected so far. Check that the details are correct, select the tick box to confirm that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of your booking, and then select "Confirm booking".

A confirmation screen, displaying your booking reference number, will now be displayed.

Your booking is now confirmed and a notification will be sent to your email.

You will notice that if you go back to the home screen, your booking will appear under the "Upcoming" tab.

How to edit or delete your clean-up booking

You can change or cancel your booking up to 48 hours prior to collection.

Watch our online tutorial:

Or follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Go to the Clean-up booking system and accept the terms and conditions.

Step 2: Select "Sign in".

Step 3: Once the sign-in screen loads, type in your username and password and select "Sign in".

A screen will now load that lists your upcoming bookings, along with an "Edit" button corresponding to each booking.

Step 4: Select "Edit" for the booking you wish to change or cancel.

A screen with full details of that booking will now be loaded.

Step 5: Select either of the two "Delete" links (bin icons) to cancel your booking, or the "Edit" links (pencil icons) to edit it.

Step 6: Once you have made the changes you require, click "Update".

Step 7: Your booking is now updated, and a notification will be sent to your email.

Step 8: If you have multiple collections under one booking reference number and you wish to cancel the entire booking, select "Cancel booking".

Step 9: Your booking is now deleted and a notification will be sent to your email.