← Greater Bendigo City Council
Waste & recycling

Waste & recycling

How Greater Bendigo's bins work today. Most households have three bins: an organics bin for food scraps and garden material, collected every week, and a recycling bin and a general waste bin, each collected every fortnight. From 1 October 2026 the organics bin accepts fewer items, because a new local composting facility in Huntly will process it. The council doesn't offer a kerbside hard waste collection. Use the bin night page 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

Organics (lime-green lid)
Weekly — food scraps and garden materialAll food, including meat, bones, citrus and dairy; garden clippings, prunings, weeds and branches under 10 cm across; untreated natural timber; and the compostable caddy liners the council provides (no other brands). From 1 October 2026, cardboard and clean paper go in the recycling bin instead, and soiled paper, shredded paper, paper towel and tissues, pet waste, hair and fur, tea bags, wooden skewers and bioplastics (including items with the AS 4736 logo) go in the general waste bin.Organics changes →
Recycling (blue or yellow lid)
FortnightlyGlass bottles and jars are still accepted in this bin 'until further notice', although the council encourages residents to take them to its glass drop-off points (below). Items go in loose, not bagged.What goes in the recycling bin →
General waste (dark-green or red lid)
FortnightlyCollection changed from weekly to fortnightly on 5 February 2024, when the organics bin moved to weekly. Broken glass, light bulbs, nappies and household general waste go here; food waste, recyclables, garden clippings, e-waste, gas bottles, paint and chemicals don't. You can ask to downsize from a 240-litre to a 140-litre bin, which has a lower charge on your rates.What goes in the general waste bin →
Glass
Free drop-off points instead of a fourth binThe council says it has opted for communal glass skip bins at locations across the municipality (including Axedale, Lake Weeroona, Eaglehawk, Elmore and Golden Square) instead of a fourth kerbside bin. Bottles and jars only, lids off. Using them isn't compulsory at this time. The council notes that the Victorian Government requires glass to be removed from the kerbside recycling stream by 2027. 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.Glass drop-off points →
Hard waste
No kerbside hard waste collectionIn the council's words: 'We don't offer a hard waste collection service.' Furniture and appliances in good condition can go to the resale shops at the Heathcote and Strathfieldsaye recycling centres or the privately run Eaglehawk Recycle Shop; metal can go to the recycling centres.Hard waste options →
Recycling centres
Eaglehawk, Goornong, Heathcote and StrathfieldsayeMost recyclables are free to drop off; other waste is charged by load (for example $30.50 for a sorted car-load and $64.50 for a sorted 6x4 trailer or ute). Domestic green waste is free at some sites, but not at Strathfieldsaye. Card only, no cash. The centres close on extreme and catastrophic weather days (fire behaviour index 75 and above).Hours, locations and fees →
Eaglehawk Landfill
191–193 Upper California Gully Road, Eaglehawk — weekdays 8am–4pm, weekends 8am–4.30pmThe council says the landfill is nearly at capacity, so it limits what it accepts and refuses loads with noticeable amounts of recyclable material such as cardboard, metal or polystyrene.Landfill details →
Find your bin night
Address search and collection calendars (Area A and Area B)Bins are collected on public holidays except Good Friday and Christmas Day.Check my bin night →

We describe the bins the way the council does. Lid colours differ between older and newer bins in Greater Bendigo: recycling bins have a blue or yellow lid, and general waste bins a dark-green or red lid, so check what a bin is for rather than going by colour. 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.