Bin collections

The City provides a standard two bin system to residential properties within the City. This includes a:

• 240-litre waste bin (dark green lid), collected weekly
• 240-litre recycling bin (yellow lid), collected fortnightly

General waste bin tips (green lid)

• Keep the weight of the bin below 70kg
• Ensure the lid can be fully closed
• Clean the bin regularly
• Freeze seafood and odorous waste
• Place in bin the night before collection
• Place bin out by 6.00am on collection day
• Place your bin as close as possible to the road/kerb (within 1 metre) in an upright position with wheels facing the house
• Return your bin to your property no later than 24 hours after collection

General Waste bins (green lidded bin) are collected weekly.

General waste bin collections scheduled on public holidays will still take place as normal with the exception of Christmas Day.

Click on the Near Me tool and search your property to find information on bin collections, verge collections and more.

Things to put in your general waste bin

• Food scraps
• Nappies, wipes and sanitary products
• Garden waste
• Animal waste and kitty litter
• Seafood waste (wrapped in newspaper)
• Ceramics/ Pyrex
• Plastic plant pots*
• Treated timber
• Bottled cooking oil
• Polystyrene
• Plumbing/ reticulation pipe and fittings

*Plastic pots can be recycled at Bunnings.

Things to leave out of your waste bin

• Batteries (household and car)*
• Recyclable materials
• Chemicals
• Light globes*
• Soil, sand and rocks
• Building materials
• Hazardous waste
• Gas bottles
• Hot ash
• Motor oil
• Syringes and medical waste
• Asbestos

*Household batteries and CFL bulbs can be recycled at the City's recycling hubs. Car batteries should be placed on top of or beside your kerbside bin on collection days or taken to the Waste Management Centre. 

FAQs

What do I do if my bin was not emptied?

Contact the Waste Alliance Customer Service Centre on 9587 4660 or email: MHwaste@cleanaway.com.au

I forgot to put my bin out on the designated collection day and I need it emptied, what do I do?

Contact the Waste Alliance Customer Service Centre on 9587 4660 or MHwaste@cleanaway.com.au to explain what has happened. If you contact the CSU on the same day as your collection day it is likely that the truck will be able to return to collect your bin. If you contact the CSU the day after your bin collection day, the truck will only return to collect your bin under special circumstances. It is therefore important residents place their bins on the verge by 6.00am on your allocated collection day.

What do I do if my general waste or recycling bin is broken and I need it replaced?

Contact the Waste Alliance Customer Service Centre on 9587 4660  or MHwaste@cleanaway.com.au. Your bin will generally be repaired/replaced within 3 working days of lodging your request.

What do I do if my bin is full and I have more waste to dispose of?

Your options are to wait for the bin to be emptied on your normal collection day or take the excess waste to the City’s Waste Management Centre located at 80 Corsican Place, Parklands. Disposal fees will apply at the Waste Management Centre if you do not have a valid waste voucher.

Why does the City of Mandurah not have a third bin?

Council considered the implementation of a third bin for food and organic (FOGO) waste at its meeting on 26 April 2017 and resolved not to proceed with this proposal as it was committed to the Avertas Energy Waste to Energy facility. The reasons for not implementing the third bin service can be summarised as follows:

• Significant financial cost to ratepayers (additional bins and trucks, collection costs and waste processing costs, etc.) that does not appear, at this stage, to justify the environmental and social benefits gained – high cost; low benefit (the third bin would cost ratepayers about another $80 per household per annum)
• Provides increased capacity to generate more household waste, which is contrary to the first two tier principles of the waste hierarchy to avoid and reduce household waste
• Contamination that may impact on the quality and use of the final composted product
• Potential over-supply of end product due to increased capture of green waste
• Lack of available space to store bins on properties
• Additional truck movements in residential streets, creating risk and increasing wear and tear
• Increased transport carbon emissions
• The need to consider the total environmental benefits of pick up and composting versus the significant reduction in emissions from waste to energy
• Waste combustion produces less greenhouse gases than composting

The City is a member of the Rivers Regional Council (RRC) – which also includes the Cities of Armadale, Gosnells, South Perth and the Shires of Serpentine-Jarrahdale and Murray. A few years ago, the RRC, on behalf of its members, tendered for a waste processing facility to treat all of the regions municipal waste, in lieu of the current practice of landfilling. Following a three-year procurement process, the RRC and the individual member Councils (including the City) signed a 20-year contract with Avertas Energy who are currently constructing a Waste to Energy facility in Kwinana. Avertas Energy will thermally treat all of the City’s waste (excluding the recyclables in the yellow lidded recycling bin) and convert it into energy, which will be supplied back to Western Power. The City also has the ability to purchase power back from Avertas Energy at a reduced price to current electricity prices for use within Council buildings.

The Avertas Energy plant is a $675 million project (which will be a first for Australia) and is currently under construction and should be operational mid 2024. The plant will result in over 90% of the City’s waste being diverted away from landfill, which far exceeds the diversion rates targets included within the State Government’s Waste Strategy 2030.

Recycling bin tips (yellow lid)

• Empty and rinse all containers before putting them in the bin
• Flatten cardboard boxes
• Please remove all lids from containers before placing in the bin. Lids should be placed in the general waste bin. *
• The film lids on plastic pots, tubs and trays can’t be recycled. Please remove these and throw them away
• You don’t need to remove the labels on jars and bottles
• Place bin out by 6.00am on collection day
• Place your bin as close as possible to the road/kerb (within 1 metre) in an upright position with wheels facing the house
• Return your bin to your property no later than 24 hours after collection

Click on the Near Me tool and search your property to find information on bin collections, verge collections and more. 

Recycling bins (yellow lidded bins) are collected fortnightly.

*Lids with eligible containers can be taken to Containers For Change collection points

What you can place in your recycling bin

• Newspaper, magazines and junk mail
• Flattened cardboard boxes, tubes and egg cartons
• Clean paper (not shredded)
• Tins
• Glass bottles and jars
• Plastic bottles/containers (lids removed)
• Milk and juice cartons (not foil lined)
• Steel and aluminum (cans, pots and pans)

What you cannot place in your recycling bin

• Polystyrene (meat trays, cups and beads)
• Green waste
• Liquids
• Clothing / textiles
• Aerosol containers*
• Soft plastics
• Food scraps
• Contaminated food containers (i.e. greasy pizza boxes)

*These can be recycled at the City's recycling hubs

Recycling information

Recycling is a simple way that everyone can help the environment. The City of Mandurah provides residents with a separate bin for recycling. These bins are easily identified with a yellow lid. Contents from your recycling bins are transported to the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in South Guilford for sorting where they are then sold for reprocessing.

Waste oil and car battery recycling

Residents can place one 5L container of used engine oil (in original container) and one car battery by their recycling bin on collection day.

Items will be collected by the City’s waste contractor and transported to the Waste Management Centre for recycling. Please place the items where the driver can see them.

Recycling FAQs

Can I bag my recyclables before putting in the recycling bin?

No, recyclables that are bagged cannot be properly sorted at the Materials Recovery Facility as they pose a potential occupational hazard to workers in the facility and cannot be opened. Any recyclables that are bagged will be removed from the recycling stream and sent to landfill. Plastic bags also cannot be recycled through the kerbside bin system.

Which plastics can I recycle?

Most hard plastics can be recycled, however there are some types of plastics that can’t go in your recycle bin such as, polystyrene and foam, plastic bags and soft, scrunchable plastics and bottle lids.

What types of glass cannot be recycled?

Ceramics such as broken plates and mugs should be placed in your green lidded rubbish bin. Pyrex type glass materials also cannot be recycled and should be placed in your green lidded rubbish bin.

What happens to the recycling materials in my household recycling bin?

The contents from the yellow lidded recycling bin is collected in the Cleanaway collection vehicles and transported direct to the Cleanaway Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in South Guildford. The MRF sorts the recyclables into the different commodities through a combination of sorting equipment and manual sorters. The sorted products are baled and generally transported overseas to South East Asia for processing where the products will be manufactured into new products. The only product that is processed locally is glass which is crushed and used in the civil construction and building industry. The necessary manufacturing plants that can process recyclables into new products currently do not exist in Australia, although the Federal Government is working with industry to create the necessary infrastructure within Australia so that our recyclable products do not need to be sent overseas for processing.

Bins are collected on all public holidays except Christmas Day. Christmas Day falls on a Monday in 2023, therefore, the bin collections will be delayed by one day. 

Changes to the bin collection schedule:

All services will resume as normal on your usual collection day from Monday, January 1.

Click on the Near Me tool and search your property to find information on bin collections, verge collections and more. 

The Christmas period is an extremely busy period and it is important that residents place their bins (refuse and recycling) on the verge for collection by 6.00 am on the designated collection day. Bins presented late may not be collected.

Please also note that the City’s Waste Management Centre located at 80 Corsican Place, Parklands will be closed Christmas Day but will return to normal operating hours on Tuesday, 26 December 2023.

Cleanaway is the City of Mandurah's contractor for the provision of all waste management services including those in public spaces.

These include:

• Public bin collections in parks, reserves and foreshores (includes provision of dog poo bags)
• Bins at special events
• Illegal dumping/littering

The City has installed bins in public areas (parks, reserves, foreshores, pathways, etc.) for the disposal of rubbish. There are currently 850 public bins located within the City of Mandurah. There are also 250 dog poo bag dispensers throughout the City. 

Bins are only located in public areas where waste is generated and there is a need for public bin infrastructure. 

FAQs

Can I dump my household waste in a nearby public bin?

No, it is an offence under the City’s Waste Management Local Laws to place domestic waste (smelly or not) in a public bin and offenders could be liable to a $400 infringement. If residents are concerned about smelly waste in their household bin, It is suggested that this waste is bagged and placed in a freezer and then placed in the rubbish bin the night before collection.

Why are public bins not collected more often seasonally (i.e. at fishing beaches)?

There is a set collection schedule for each public bin within the City and this schedule is relaxed during the winter period when the use of public bins is reduced. The City is aware that some areas within the municipality are subject to heavy use, primarily during summer, and in this case additional bins are placed on reserves throughout the City during the summer period to deal with the influx of visitors and the generation of additional waste. The truck drivers that collect the public bins also closely monitor bin usage and liaise with their Supervisor to adjust bin collection schedules accordingly.

Can I report someone dumping in a public bin?

Yes, it is an offence under the City’s Waste Management Local Laws to dump domestic waste in a public bin and an offender could be liable to a $400 infringement. In order to further investigate an alleged dumping of waste in a public bin the City requires either a witness or sufficient evidence to demonstrate the dumping act.

Details of the alleged dumping can be sent to Council: council@mandurah.wa.gov.au.

Why aren't there recycling bins at every public bin location?

The City has only placed recycling bins in its major foreshore areas. As a rule, recycling bins in public areas are not well used and are heavily contaminated as residents place general waste in the recycling bin, which can potentially contaminate other recycling in the collection vehicle. WARRRL’s research has shown that 86% of people report recycling at home, but only 48% out and about.

With the implementation of the Containers for Change scheme in 2020, there has been an increase in reported ‘bin diving’ and damage to waste infrastructure as general members of the public seek to recover 10c containers from general waste bins. The City is working with collaborating with WARRRL (Containers for Change) to facilitate the trial of exchange baskets (100 container capacity) and Cradles (6 container capacity). The potential installation of these points will provide ability for general public to take containers in a dignified way – open, unrestricted access.

There is a legal obligation on dog owners to pick up after their dogs whilst in public areas. The City has provided dog poo bag dispensers on a number of public bins throughout the City. The dog poo bags are only replenished when the bin is collected and the City does not provide any guarantee that the dispenser will always contain dog poo bags.

Dog poo bags are provided by the City to assist dog owners but it is their responsibility to ensure they always have dog poo bags on hand where walking their dog. Dog poo bags can also be purchased at retail outlets.

The City has moved towards the supply of compostable dog poo bags at our bins. Compostable bags are significantly more expensive than single use dog poo bags, but they provide many environmental benefits.

Some of the benefits of compostable dog poop bags include:

• Reduces contributions to landfill.
• Does not leach or leave behind toxic chemicals.
• Less greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing.
• Lower water and energy consumption during manufacturing.
• Safe for humans, animals, wildlife, and the environment.
• Provide great fertilizer when composted correctly.

FAQs

Why aren’t the dog poo bags on public bins replenished more often?

Dog poo bags are replenished by our waste contractor on a weekly basis when they empty the bin. It is important to note that the obligation to supply dog poo bags rests with the dog owner and the City provides this service to assist dog owners in meeting their obligations of picking up after their dogs.

Why don't all public bins have dog poo bags?

Due to the significant expense involved in purchasing dispensers and the ongoing costs of supplying bags. The City has over 800 public bins throughout the City and the cost to supply bags to every bin is very significant.

Dog owners are responsible for supplying dog waste bags when walking their dog, however, the City provides a supply of dog poo bags to public bins to assist dog owners in the case that they may not have a bag available. Dog poo bags are readily available from large retail outlets in Mandurah.

Gopher service - assisted bin collection

Residents who are unable to physically move their bins to and from the kerbside due to a disability or illness can apply for a gopher or assisted bin collection service.

Once approved, the driver of the collection vehicle will collect the bins from an agreed location on the resident’s property, wheel the bins out to the truck for collection and return the bins to the original location. The assisted service is provided at no additional cost to residents.

The resident must make written application to the City for a gopher service and include a letter of support from their medial professional.

Once the gopher service is approved, a representative from the City’s waste contractor, Cleanaway will make contact with the resident and determine the agreed location of the bins.

Please contact 9587 4660 to inquire or to request this service.

Additional bin services

The standard rubbish service charge provides each resident with a 240 litre rubbish bin collected weekly and a 240 litre recycling bin collected fortnightly. The City does not provide for a weekly collection of the recycling bin.

Ratepayers can request for an additional rubbish or recycling bin from the City. The additional charges are as follows :

Additional Rubbish Bin – annual charge             $141.00

Additional Recycling Bin – annual charge            $135.00

The request for an additional rubbish or recycling bin must be made by the ratepayer or managing agent as the additional charges will be imposed through the issue of an Interim Rates Notice.

The additional bin will contain a sticker from the City informing the Cleanaway truck driver that the bin is authorised and for it to be collected accordingly.

Additional bins that are presented that do not contain the authorised sticker will not be collected.

New bin service

All rateable properties within Mandurah are provided with a green 240 litre rubbish bin and a 240 litre yellow lidded recycling bin. The rubbish bin is collected weekly and the recycling bin collected fortnightly. The City will only process requests for new bin services from ratepayers or managing agents as the service will attract the standard rubbish service charge. An interim Rates Notice will be sent out to the land owner once the bin(s) are provided. 

A request for a new bin service can be made by contacting the Waste Alliance Customer Service Centre on (08) 9587 4660 or by email: MHwaste@cleanaway.com.au

Cleanaway will deliver the new bins to the property within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Damaged or stolen bins

The rubbish and recycling bins are owned by the City and repairs and/or replacement costs are covered as part of the standard rubbish service charge.

If your bin is damaged or stolen please contact the Waste Alliance Customer Service Centre on (08) 9587 4660 or email: MHwaste@cleanaway.com.au.

Bin repairs and/or replacements are generally actioned within 3 working days of the request.