Each household has two pre-booked hard waste collections per calendar year. Book on 1800 777 844; expect up to a two-week wait, with a maximum of two cubic metres (about a 6x4 trailer load) per collection.
Your kerbside bins#
- Red lid, general waste
Kerbside service includes general waste, recycling, and a 140L or 240L green-lid organics bin collected fortnightly. All food scraps and certified compostable products can go in the green organics bin, and residents receive a free kitchen caddy and compostable liner bags.
- Yellow lid, recycling
Rinsed bottles, jars, cans, paper and cardboard, placed loose. Check the council page for glass and soft plastics rules in your area.
- Green lid, organics
Green organics (food and garden waste) are collected fortnightly in the green-lid bin; larger loads can be dropped at the Green Waste and Mulch Centre.
The lid colours follow Australian Standard AS 4123 nationally, but the accepted-item list is set by City of Adelaide. See what bin does it go in for the item-by-item answers, and the purple glass bin rollout for where a fourth lid is arriving.
Getting a collection in City of Adelaide#
City of Adelaide takes the booking, sets the date and decides what it will lift, so have your address and an item list ready before you start. Most councils cap the volume per booking, and the rule above is the one that applies here.
How booked and scheduled collections differ across the country is covered in hard rubbish collection in Australia.
When your bin goes out#
Collection day is set by your street address, not by the council area, so this guide does not carry per-street dates and will not guess one. The service pattern for City of Adelaide is below; City of Adelaide publishes the day itself.
Garden and food organics in City of Adelaide#
Green organics (food and garden waste) are collected fortnightly in the green-lid bin; larger loads can be dropped at the Green Waste and Mulch Centre.
Whether a green bin takes food scraps as well as garden material depends on the service your council runs. See the FOGO bin explained, and the item pages for food scraps and garden waste.
Quick answers for tricky items#
The short answer for the items households most often get wrong. Each links to the full rule, which City of Adelaide can still vary locally.
- Mattress - Not a kerbside bin
- Pizza box - Green or red lid
- Batteries - Never any kerbside bin
- Soft plastics - Red lid, unless a program runs
- Garden waste - Green lid
- E-waste - Not a kerbside bin
- Glass - Purple or yellow lid
- Food scraps - Green or red lid
Hard rubbish and bin questions#
- How does hard rubbish collection work in City of Adelaide?
- Each household has two pre-booked hard waste collections per calendar year. Book on 1800 777 844; expect up to a two-week wait, with a maximum of two cubic metres (about a 6x4 trailer load) per collection.
- How do I book a hard rubbish collection with City of Adelaide?
- Bookings are made by City of Adelaide, not by this guide. Book at cityofadelaide.com.au with your address and a list of items ready, because most councils cap the volume per booking.
- When does my bin go out in the City of Adelaide area?
- Collection day is set by your street address, not by the council area, so City of Adelaide is the only source for your day. This guide carries the rules and the service pattern, not per-street dates: check yours at cityofadelaide.com.au.
- What bins does City of Adelaide collect, and how often?
- Kerbside service includes general waste, recycling, and a 140L or 240L green-lid organics bin collected fortnightly. All food scraps and certified compostable products can go in the green organics bin, and residents receive a free kitchen caddy and compostable liner bags.
- What goes in the City of Adelaide green bin?
- Green organics (food and garden waste) are collected fortnightly in the green-lid bin; larger loads can be dropped at the Green Waste and Mulch Centre.
- Which postcodes does City of Adelaide cover?
- City of Adelaide services 5000, 5005, 5006. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
Postcodes covered#
City of Adelaide services 3 postcodes. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
5000, 5005, 5006
Nearest tips and transfer stations#
Taking a sorted load in yourself is often cheapest. Tip Finder Australia maps every tip and recycling centre in South Australia with fees and hours.
More South Australia councils#
Compare bin systems and hard rubbish across the state.
Sources#
- City of Adelaide - official bins and recycling page
- City of Adelaide waste and recycling - cityofadelaide.com.au
- City of Adelaide hard rubbish booking - cityofadelaide.com.au
Checked against these sources on 2026-07-08.