Hard waste is booked through a self-service portal with dates usually 1 to 3 weeks away; e-waste, metal and glass are recycled and the remainder is turned into Process Engineered Fuel.
Your kerbside bins#
- Red lid, general waste
Three-bin service via East Waste: a red-lid general waste bin collected weekly, and a yellow-lid recycling bin and green-lid food and garden organics bin collected on alternating fortnights.
- 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
The green-lid food and garden organics (FOGO) bin takes all food scraps including citrus, dairy, meat, seafood shells and bones, plus small tree branches and prunings up to 15cm wide by 60cm long.
The lid colours follow Australian Standard AS 4123 nationally, but the accepted-item list is set by City of Unley. 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 Unley#
City of Unley 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 Unley is below; City of Unley publishes the day itself.
Garden and food organics in City of Unley#
The green-lid food and garden organics (FOGO) bin takes all food scraps including citrus, dairy, meat, seafood shells and bones, plus small tree branches and prunings up to 15cm wide by 60cm long.
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 Unley 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 Unley?
- Hard waste is booked through a self-service portal with dates usually 1 to 3 weeks away; e-waste, metal and glass are recycled and the remainder is turned into Process Engineered Fuel.
- How do I book a hard rubbish collection with City of Unley?
- Bookings are made by City of Unley, not by this guide. Book at unley.sa.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 City of Unley area?
- Collection day is set by your street address, not by the council area, so City of Unley is the only source for your day. This guide carries the rules and the service pattern, not per-street dates: check yours at unley.sa.gov.au.
- What bins does City of Unley collect, and how often?
- Three-bin service via East Waste: a red-lid general waste bin collected weekly, and a yellow-lid recycling bin and green-lid food and garden organics bin collected on alternating fortnights.
- What goes in the City of Unley green bin?
- The green-lid food and garden organics (FOGO) bin takes all food scraps including citrus, dairy, meat, seafood shells and bones, plus small tree branches and prunings up to 15cm wide by 60cm long.
- Which postcodes does City of Unley cover?
- City of Unley services 5061, 5063, 5064, 5034. 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 Unley services 4 postcodes. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
5061, 5063, 5064, 5034
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 Unley - official bins and recycling page
- City of Unley waste and recycling - unley.sa.gov.au
Checked against these sources on 2026-07-09.