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Waste & recycling

Waste & recycling

How Baw Baw's bins work today. Households on the kerbside service have four bins: a green food and garden organics (FOGO) bin collected every week, a red general rubbish bin and a yellow mixed recycling bin each collected every fortnight, and a purple glass bin collected every four weeks. The council started FOGO on 6 July 2026; at the same time the red bin moved from weekly to fortnightly collection. The kerbside service covers households in the townships and some rural properties. Use the council's address lookup or the Baw Baw Waste App to find your collection days.

New to these terms? Read them in plain English
Bulky / hard waste collection
Pickup or drop-off for large items that don't fit in your bins.
See the full explainer, with formulas →

Bin collection at a glance

Food and garden organics (green lid)
Weekly — food scraps and garden clippings (since 6 July 2026)All food, including meat, fish, bones, dairy and citrus, plus grass clippings, leaves, flowers, paper towel and serviettes, and certified compostable liners (AS 4736). Not accepted: food packaging, plastic bags (including 'biodegradable'), coffee cups, tissues, cardboard, nappies, animal droppings and kitty litter. Households received a kitchen caddy and 100 compostable liners; a further roll can be collected after six months from the Drouin Customer Service Centre or the Warragul Civic Centre. The council says the material will be processed at a new industrial composting facility being developed in Morwell.What goes in the FOGO bin →
General rubbish (red lid)
Fortnightly (since 6 July 2026) — standard bin 120 litresItems must be bagged. Food scraps no longer go in this bin. At its 16 September 2026 meeting the council voted to keep fortnightly red-bin collection; it said a return to weekly collection would add about $173,000 a year to its contract costs. Households with extra waste needs (a medical condition or disability, two or more children under 4 in nappies, or a large family in financial hardship) can apply to the Special Consideration Program for an extra 120 litres at no cost; an additional red bin otherwise costs $100 a year.General rubbish bin and Special Consideration →
Mixed recycling (yellow lid)
Fortnightly, on the same day as your red binCans, aluminium foil, plastic containers, paper and cardboard, and empty aerosol cans, loose (not bagged). Glass bottles and jars go in the purple bin, not here. Soft plastics, polystyrene and textiles can be recycled free at the council's four transfer stations.What goes in the recycling bin →
Glass (purple lid)
Every four weeks — glass bottles and jars onlyCollections began in October 2024. Rinse jars, remove lids and corks, and put items in loose. Drinking glasses, window glass, Pyrex, ceramics, mirrors and light bulbs don't go in this bin. The glass bin is for residential households only.Glass recycling bin →
Hard waste
One free booked kerbside collection a year, or a free transfer station drop-offFor households with a council waste service (owners or tenants): either one 'at call' kerbside collection of up to 2 cubic metres, or free disposal of up to 2 cubic metres of hard or green waste at a council transfer station, each financial year. Book online with WM Waste Management Services or on 1800 969 278 (8am–5.30pm weekdays). A second, paid collection costs $85 ($45 for pensioner or health care card holders).Hard waste options →
Transfer stations
Lardner (daily), Trafalgar, Neerim South and Erica — 10am–4pm (Erica from 12pm)Lardner opens every day; Trafalgar Saturday, Sunday and Monday; Neerim South Friday and Sunday; Erica Monday, Wednesday and Sunday. All four close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday. Most recyclables are free; mattresses are $30 (single) or $43.50 (double, queen or king). Asbestos, builders' waste and FOGO aren't accepted. Enquiries: Solo on 1300 467 656.Transfer station hours and fees →
Find your bin day
Address search, Baw Baw Waste App or the 2026–27 calendar (Areas 1–4)Bin days don't change on public holidays; on Christmas Day bins must be out by 2am. Missed bin, or a damaged or stolen bin: call the contractor, Solo Resource Recovery, on 5633 2009.Check my bin day →

We describe the bins the way the council does. Older dark-green lids on recycling and garden bins were replaced with yellow and light-green lids from October 2025, so Baw Baw's colours now match the statewide scheme. The council's general 'Bins, Rubbish and Hard Waste Collection' page still says green organics are collected fortnightly; its FOGO and bin-calendar pages and its September 2026 announcement say the green bin has been collected weekly since 6 July 2026. Services and charges change, so check the council's pages below.

Sources — check it yourself

Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.