East Gippsland Shire (VIC) bin day, recycling & waste collection

Waste & recycling

How East Gippsland's bins work today. The council runs a two-bin or three-bin kerbside collection in its urban communities: a general waste bin collected every week, and a recycling bin and a garden organics bin collected on alternate weeks. Not every property is in a collection area, so new residents are asked to check with the council. Most of the shire is served by a network of landfills and transfer stations. A weekly food and garden organics (FOGO) service is planned but hasn't started.

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

General waste (red lid): WeeklyBatteries, asbestos, e-waste and chemicals must never go in any kerbside bin. Bagged pet waste and noxious weeds go in this bin.What goes in each bin →
Mixed recycling (yellow lid): Fortnightly, alternating with the garden organics binPaper and cardboard, hard plastic containers numbered 1, 2 or 5, steel cans, and glass bottles and jars. Items go in loose, not bagged; soft plastics can't be recycled in this bin.Recycling bin guide →
Garden organics (green lid): Fortnightly — garden material onlyFood scraps are not collected in the green bin, except in Mallacoota, where the council's Kitchen to Compost program (since 2010) takes food and garden waste in the green bin and free caddies are available at the Mallacoota Service Centre. Not accepted anywhere: branches or stumps 30 cm or more across, treated wood, plastic bags or pots, pet manure.Food and green waste →
Food and garden organics (FOGO): Planned, not yet startedThe council's food and green waste page says weekly FOGO collections will be introduced 'progressively during 2028'. Its November 2025 announcement of the 10-Year Waste and Recycling Services Transition Plan said 'from 2027'. A composting facility for up to 25,000 tonnes a year is proposed next to the Bairnsdale Landfill at Forge Creek.FOGO plans →
Glass: Still in the yellow-lid recycling binThe Victorian Government plans a separate glass bin statewide from 2027. The council opposes a mandatory glass-only bin and has joined 30 other councils in the 'Let's Be Clear on Glass' campaign, saying it would add $27 or more to each household's yearly waste bill and that the container deposit scheme should be expanded instead (May 2026). The state's new lid colours are purple for glass, lime green for food and garden organics, yellow for mixed recycling and red for general rubbish.Council's position on glass →
Hard waste: No kerbside hard waste collection foundWe didn't find a kerbside hard waste service on the council's waste pages (checked Sep 2026, re-check). The 10-Year Waste and Recycling Services Transition Plan includes planning for booked hard waste collections. Bulky items, white goods and scrap metal can go to the landfills and transfer stations.
Landfills and transfer stations: Bairnsdale Landfill (200 Johnstons Road, Forge Creek) plus 17 other sites across the shireIncluding Lakes Entrance, Bruthen, Orbost, Mallacoota, Omeo, Buchan, Swifts Creek, Cann River, Marlo and Metung. Opening days and hours differ by site; many are not open every day. Recyclables, e-waste, sorted batteries, motor oil, polystyrene and most scrap metal are free to drop off; fridges and freezers cost $11 for degassing; other waste is charged.Sites, hours and items accepted →
Find your bin day: Collection calendars for Area 1 and Area 2Area 1 includes Bairnsdale (excluding Lucknow, Eastwood and East Bairnsdale), Eagle Point, Lindenow, Omeo, Paynesville, Raymond Island, Swifts Creek and Wy Yung; Area 2 includes East Bairnsdale, Lucknow, Eastwood, Bruthen, Lakes Entrance, Metung, Orbost, Marlo, Cann River and Mallacoota. Bins are collected from about 6am, so put them out the night before. In bushfires, storms, floods and extreme heat, collections may be suspended; notices go on the council's Emergency Dashboard and Facebook page.Check my bin day →

We describe the bins the way the council does. Kerbside collection covers the towns listed in the council's two collection areas; the 2026–27 budget also lists a separate rural waste collection charge, which the council's bin page doesn't describe. 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.