Booked kerbside collection for bulky household items and excess garden waste; arrange a pickup by calling 4429 5681 or emailing greenandbulky@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.
Your kerbside bins#
- Red lid, general waste
Two-bin kerbside service: a red-lid landfill/general waste bin and a yellow-lid recycling bin. There is no standard green FOGO bin yet, so garden waste currently goes in the red bin or via a booked green waste collection; a FOGO service is under consideration for a future Council term.
- 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
No weekly green bin. Excess garden waste (grass clippings, leaves, flowers, weeds, pruned branches) is handled through the booked green and bulky waste collection service or drop-off.
The lid colours follow Australian Standard AS 4123 nationally, but the accepted-item list is set by Shoalhaven City Council. 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 Shoalhaven City Council#
Shoalhaven City Council 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 Shoalhaven City Council is below; Shoalhaven City Council publishes the day itself.
Garden and food organics in Shoalhaven City Council#
No weekly green bin. Excess garden waste (grass clippings, leaves, flowers, weeds, pruned branches) is handled through the booked green and bulky waste collection service or drop-off.
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 Shoalhaven City Council 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 Shoalhaven City Council?
- Booked kerbside collection for bulky household items and excess garden waste; arrange a pickup by calling 4429 5681 or emailing greenandbulky@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.
- How do I book a hard rubbish collection with Shoalhaven City Council?
- Bookings are made by Shoalhaven City Council, not by this guide. Book at shoalhaven.nsw.gov.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 Shoalhaven City Council area?
- Collection day is set by your street address, not by the council area, so Shoalhaven City Council is the only source for your day. This guide carries the rules and the service pattern, not per-street dates: check yours at shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.
- What bins does Shoalhaven City Council collect, and how often?
- Two-bin kerbside service: a red-lid landfill/general waste bin and a yellow-lid recycling bin. There is no standard green FOGO bin yet, so garden waste currently goes in the red bin or via a booked green waste collection; a FOGO service is under consideration for a future Council term.
- What goes in the Shoalhaven City Council green bin?
- No weekly green bin. Excess garden waste (grass clippings, leaves, flowers, weeds, pruned branches) is handled through the booked green and bulky waste collection service or drop-off.
- Which postcodes does Shoalhaven City Council cover?
- Shoalhaven City Council services 2540, 2541, 2539. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
Postcodes covered#
Shoalhaven City Council services 3 postcodes. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
2540, 2541, 2539
Nearest tips and transfer stations#
Taking a sorted load in yourself is often cheapest. Tip Finder Australia maps every tip and recycling centre in New South Wales with fees and hours.
More New South Wales councils#
Compare bin systems and hard rubbish across the state.
Sources#
- Shoalhaven City Council - official bins and recycling page
- Shoalhaven City Council waste and recycling - shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au
Checked against these sources on 2026-07-09.