When to put your household rubbish bin out
Your bins are emptied on the same day each fortnight, including all public holidays. Please leave your bin at the collection point by 6 am on your collection day.
Use our online tool to check when your household rubbish collection day is:
Waste calendars
You can also download our waste calendars for 2023-24 and view waste maps and zones of Knox:
Or call our Customer Service team on 9298 8000.
What goes in your household rubbish bin
Use your yellow lid bin for:
- household rubbish
- tissues and paper towel
- take-away coffee cups and lids
- polystyrene and foam trays
- soft plastic packaging including wrappers and cling film
- nappies and personal sanitary items
- glassware, Pyrex, mirrors and window glass - please wrap and label "glass"
- plastic plant pots.
Food and garden waste
In April 2023, Council introduced a food and garden bin service.
All households in Knox will have a green bin to dispose of food scraps along with green waste.
From July, we will collect the food and garden bin each week and the general rubbish bin each fortnight.
Find out more about the food and garden bin service.
What doesn’t go in your household rubbish bin
Do not use your yellow lid bin for:
- batteries - they can cause fires in the collection truck
- food and garden waste - put this in your food and garden bin
- e-waste - anything with a plug, cord or battery
- recyclables - put these in your recycling bin
- timber, bricks, rubble, steel, or building/renovation materials
- syringes
- hot ashes - ensure they are completely cold
- paint - take to a free Paintback drop-off location
- chemicals or hazardous materials - dispose of via Detox your home
- fluids or liquids, including motor oil, pesticides, paints or solvents.
View A-Z rubbish and recycling guide
Tips to reduce bin odours
- Keep bins out of direct sunlight
- Wash your bin regularly
- Sprinkle bi-carb soda into your bin to neutralize smells
- Make sure your lid closes properly and there are no cracks in the bin body
- Pet owners can use a pet poo compost system rather than put it in the bin
- If you have children in nappies, using reusable nappies can help reduce odour
Putting your bins out
When putting your bins out for collection, make sure you:
- put bins out before 6 am on collection day
- return bins to your property within 24 hours
- ensure bins are at least 50 cm apart
- place bins with wheels and handles facing away from the kerb
- allow a minimum of one-metre clearance from parked cars, trees, light poles or any other obstructions
- ensure bin lids are completely closed when presented for collection to prevent litter or birds or other animals from pulling out rubbish
- do not overfill your bins. The maximum weight for all bins is 50 kg
- do not place rubbish beside your bin.
Bin requests, stolen bins and missed collections
You can organise your household waste bin, collection or a replacement online.
Order additional bins (garbage, recycling or green)
Request a new bin service (New property)
Missed bin collection
If your bin contents are not collected by 6 pm on your collection day, you can report a missed bin collection online.
Before reporting a missed bin collection, please check your bin days.
Report a missed bin collection
You can also call us on 9298 8000 within 36 hours (1.5 business days) of your scheduled collection day.
If you find a sticker on your bin or a notice in your letterbox, follow the directions on the sticker or notice.
Apply for a free extra rubbish bin
You can apply for a free extra 120L household rubbish bin if your household has extra waste needs.
This is for households with:
- extra medical waste needs
- two or more children in disposable nappies
Submitting your application
You must provide evidence of your extra waste needs:
Medical needs
- a letter from a GP or medical practitioner stating you have extra medical waste needs
- the letter must provide detail regarding the reason for the extra waste (eg. packaging associated with treatment for an acute condition)
- if the condition is ongoing or temporary.
- a utility bill or lease agreement if you're a tenant and not the property owner
Two or more children in disposable nappies
- a photo of your Medicare card with the names of your dependents
- a utility bill or lease agreement if you're a tenant and not the property owner
Not eligible? Apply to pay for an extra bin
What happens next?
You should receive your new 120L rubbish bin within 5 business days from the date of approval.
How long can I keep my extra bin?
Two or more children in disposable nappies
Households with 2 or more children in disposable nappies will have their extra bin for one year.
You must reapply for your extra bin each year and provide evidence.
Extra medical waste needs
Households that have extra medical waste needs will have their extra bin for 5 years.
You must let Council know if your circumstances change and you no longer need the extra bin before the 5-year period ends.
E-waste
Anything that uses batteries or a power cord is e-waste. Do not put e-waste in rubbish or recycling bins.
Find out more on our e-waste page.
How to reduce rubbish
If your rubbish bin is too full, consider:
- Food scraps - put your food scraps into your food and garden waste bin which is collected weekly.
- Recycling - are you putting items in your rubbish bin that can actually go in your recycling bin? Check our A to Z rubbish and recycling guide to see what can go in your recycling bin.
- Packaging - what kind of packaging are you putting in your rubbish bin? This could be reduced by using reusable bags when shopping and purchasing items with less packaging.
- Nappies - if you are using disposable nappies, you can swap out some or all for reusable nappies to reduce your waste.
- Pet poo - if you have a lot of pet poo, there are discounted pet poo composting options which will reduce your waste.
Some other handy tips include:
- Shop with a list so you buy only what you need and check your pantry before going to the supermarket.
- Shop local and not online to reduce and avoid plastic packaging.
- Take reusable bags to the supermarket.
- Instead of cling wrap, use reusable food covers or containers.
If you are still struggling with excess rubbish, you have the option to upsize your rubbish bin or order an additional rubbish bin for a fee.
Need help?
Contact us and we will get back to you.
Or call our Customer Service team on 9298 8000.
