Bins and Collections

General waste wheelie bins are collected weekly and recycling wheelie bins are collected fortnightly. As recycling wheelie bins are collected fortnightly, your property is scheduled as either Week 1 or Week 2. Use the Recycling Wheelie Bin Fortnightly Service Calendar as a helpful reminder.

Check your wheelie bin collection day in our handy ‘search your bin day’ tool. Watch this helpful bin day instructional video  to guide you through the steps.

Alternatively, contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4932 9000.

Wheelie bins are collected every day of the year, including Christmas Day.

To assist with a timely and efficient bin collection service, please ensure you:

• Place your bins out the night before collection, and bring them back in after 6pm on the day of collection, 
• Place bins at least 30cm apart on the kerbside,
• Make sure the wheels are facing your property in two way streets,
• Place bins at least 1 metre away from parked vehicles and other obstacles, and
• Place bins away from low hanging trees.

Please note - Storage of wheelie bins permanently on the street is not permitted.

Wheelie bin information is also available in this Wheelie Bin Collection Service Brochure.

Residents receive a weekly general waste collection service and a fortnightly recycling collection service of their bins. Wheelie bins are collected every day of the year, including Christmas Day.

If your bin didn't get collected and you don't have a sticker on your bin or information in your letterbox from us, contact the Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling team. Accidental missed services are rectified at no cost.

If your bin didn't get serviced due to an issue, we will place a sticker on your bin telling you why. 

We can't service your bin if it is:

• overfull (the lid cannot be closed or the waste is not wholly contained),
• unable to be accessed due to incorrect positioning or obstacles,
• heavier than 85kg and unable to be lifted,
• not presented for collection at the time of service (service can take place any time between 6am and 6pm on your bin day, however we recommend placing your bin out the night before collection), 
• contaminated with hazardous waste or the wrong items,
• not a Council issued bin, or
• not in the Council rating assessment.

Providing the issue is addressed, we will collect your bin as normal in the following service.

An additional service can be arranged, however there is a fee.

If your wheelie bin is either stolen, removed, vandalised or is damaged, please contact the Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling team or use e-Services to organise the repair or replacement of a wheelie bin.

Rockhampton Region residents that live outside of Council’s declared wheelie bin collection areas do not receive a kerbside waste collection service. If your property is not located within a wheelie bin collection area, Council provides a number of Waste Management Facilities located throughout the Region.

Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling provides an assisted service to residents who are unable to place their wheelie bins out for collection due to medical conditions. The service includes the retrieval and return of the bin from an agreed location within the property boundary.

To receive this service, please provide us with a current medical certificate/letter from a general practitioner or medical professional indicating that you are unable to place the mobile bin out for collection. An updated medical certificate/letter must be provided each financial year for ongoing services.

The assisted service will commence within ten working days of the application being approved by Council.

Please contact the Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling team should you wish to submit an application.

Domestic and commercial customers may request additional general waste and/or recycling services or additional bins, or may request to cancel a service or additional bin - charges may be incurred accordingly.

All bin and service changes can be applied for by completing and submitting the Wheelie Bin Collection Services Form to one of Council’s Customer Service Centre's.

Adding a one off additional wheelie bin collection

• Must be paid up front, prior to the scheduled collection date

Adding a brand new wheelie bin service for a new property

• Charges will be included in your rates notice
• Must be located within a declared collection area.

Adding an additional wheelie bin service

• Charges will be included in your rates notice
• Available only to those who already receive a kerbside waste collections service
• Residents renting a property must have their form submitted by the property owner or delegated Property Manager
• Domestic properties can only receive the extra collection on the same day as their current service.

Bin collections and services can also be cancelled by completing and submitting the Mobile Bin Kerbside Collection Services Form to one of Council’s Customer Service Centres. A minimum of 10 working days is required to cancel the service, upon receipt of application. Charges will cease from the date the bins are removed.

Cancelling a domestic wheelie bin service

• The minimum service of one waste and one recycling bin must remain for a domestic residence, OR
• The domestic premise must be declared as an uninhabitable dwelling by Council, or demolished.

Cancelling a commercial wheelie bin service

• Must submit proof with the application that an approved waste removal entity has been engaged to replace Council’s waste service
• If recommencing the service an establishment fee will be included in the rates notice.

Council's Local Law No. 8 (Waste Management) 2018, outlines the regulations for the storage, servicing, and removal of waste. View Local Law No. 8 (Waste Management) 2018.

If you would like to report the misuse of a wheelie bin contact Council's Local Laws team on 07 4932 9000.

Wheelie bins should be in place no longer than 24 hours before or after the scheduled collection day for the collection of waste.

Any issues relating to a person who is not residing at a property, found rummaging through wheelie bins located within private property boundary's, should be referred to the Queensland Police Service. If wheelie bins are located on the kerb at the time of the rummaging, please contact Rockhampton Regional Council's Local Laws team on 07 4932 9000.

Try the following tips to help reduce smells and keep your wheelie bins clean.

• Keeping the bin lid closed
• Storing the bin out of direct sunlight in a well ventilated area
• Putting liquids or sloppy food waste in your compost, not in your wheelie bins
• Wrap and freeze smelly items like prawn shells until your general waste bin day
• Hose out and disinfect your bins after collection

Spoilt, green or rotten fallen fruit, such as mangos, during the summer season can become too heavy and cause odour problems in your general waste wheelie bin. Consider staggering the quantities of spoiled fruit week to week will keep the weight of your bin below the 85kg limit the General Waste Collection Trucks can lift.

You can also search local directories for local companies who provide bin cleaning services for a fee.

Wheelie bin considerations during severe weather events

During severe weather, such as heavy wind and rain it will help to keep bin lids closed keep bin lids closed while out for collection and return bins to a secure storage location as soon practical once collection occurs.

To help keep bins secure on your property during weather events, you could tie bins down, or if empty - fill them with a little water to weigh them down.

Importantly, during a disaster and the Local Disaster Coordination Centre is enacted, keep up to date with information, including bin collection services via Council’s Emergency Dashboard.

Waste and recycling service charges for domestic and commercial customers are listed in Council's Revenue Statement within the annual budget, look under Utility Charges.

Unfortunately once your kerbside bins are collected, they are mixed in with 600 other household bins. This is equivalent to 144 tonnes of waste.

In this quantity you would not be able to find your item and it is too unsafe to be searching through. This also applies to searching at the Landfill.

Avoid taking personal belongings such as wallets, phones or keys to the kerbside bins when disposing of your waste, to prevent permanent loss of these items.