Official council sources
Brisbane City Council
bin guide
Brisbane’s yellow bin is for household recycling, the red bin is for general waste, and the optional green bin is for garden waste — not food scraps.
At a glance- Recycling bin: Fortnightly. Check your exact address for dates.
- General waste bin: Weekly. Check your exact address for dates.
- Green waste recycling bin: Fortnightly for properties with the service. Check your exact address for dates.
Sort it right
What goes in each bin
Use these rules for Council-provided bins. If your building uses a private service, check its signs or ask the service provider.
Fortnightly. Check your exact address for dates.For empty paper, cardboard, firm plastic, glass and metal containers.
✓ Yes — place in this bin
- Paper and cardboard
- Firm plastic bottles and containers
- Glass bottles and jars
- Metal cans and containers
× No — keep out of this bin
- Plastic bags and soft plastics
- Polystyrene
- Drinking glasses and Pyrex
- Light bulbs
For household rubbish that cannot be recycled through Brisbane’s yellow bin.
✓ Yes — place in this bin
- Soft plastics
- Food waste where composting is not practical
- Wrappers
- Other general household waste
× No — keep out of this bin
- Asbestos
- Batteries and gas bottles
- Chemicals
- Paint tins
Green lid
Green waste recycling bin
An optional service for loose garden waste. This is not a food-organics bin.
✓ Yes — place in this bin
- Grass clippings and weeds
- Palm fronds and garden cuttings
- Flowers, small plants and leaves
- Loose bark, bamboo plants and small branches
× No — keep out of this bin
- Food scraps
- Animal waste
- Loose dirt or fill
- Treated timber, general waste and recycling
Important rules
Use the service properly
- Keep recycling loose; never put it in a plastic bag.
- Empty recycling containers. They do not need washing, and lids should stay attached.
- Bag loose dust and kitchen scraps before putting them in the red bin.
- Keep garden cuttings small and loose — no plastic bags.
- Keep lids closed, bins under 70 kg and multiple bins at least 30 cm apart.
Common questions
Quick answers
- Can soft plastics go in Brisbane’s yellow bin?
- No. Put bubble wrap, cling wrap, chip packets and shopping bags in the red bin.
- Can food scraps go in the green bin?
- No. Brisbane’s green bin is for garden waste. Compost food scraps where possible, otherwise use the red bin.
- Can broken glass go in the yellow bin?
- No. Wrap broken glass in paper and place it in the red bin to reduce injury risk.
Also useful
More council waste services