Hard waste collection
When is the Council hard waste collection?
Council collects hard waste twice a year from homes and units in Merri-bek where a waste charge is paid.
The next collection for 2021 will run for 5 weeks from 15 March until 16 April.
Find your hard waste collection date
When to put your hard waste out
You will receive a notice from Council at least two weeks before the hard waste collection comes to your area.
You can begin to neatly place items out on the nature strip or footpath on the weekend before the collection starts in your street. Do not place items out any earlier than this.
All items for collection must be placed out by the Sunday evening before your collection week begins to avoid a missed collection. Do not place items out during your collection week.
Only properties who pay Council's Waste Charge are entitled to the hard waste collection. Please refer to your rates notice if you are unsure whether you pay the charge or contact Council to enquire.
Items you can place out for collection
This video has captions you can turn on and off using the video controls.
You can put up to one cubic metre (equal to two washing machines side by side) of hard waste on the nature strip or footpath outside your property.
Place your hard waste in neat piles on the nature strip and put any small items in boxes so that they do not create windblown litter. If you place too much hard waste out, only one cubic metre will be collected.
All items must be able to be lifted by two people.
If you put the wrong items out they will not be collected.
These items will be collected and sent to landfill:
-
Old or broken furniture
-
Timber up to 1.5 metres in length (no more than 10 pieces)
-
Boxes of odds and ends
-
Chinaware and window glass (must be wrapped heavily and marked 'glass' )
-
Tools and lawn mowers (consider donating these to Brunswick Tool Library)
- Large toys or sporting equipment (if in good order consider donating to charity)
These items will be collected and recycled (please leave in a separate pile):
- Mattress and base (one per household)
- Whitegoods - such as stoves, washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators (doors must be removed)
- E-waste - any item with a plug, battery or cord that is no longer working or wanted.
These items will not be collected:
If items on this list are placed out they will NOT be collected and the householder will receive a knock back notice. Items must be removed within 24 hours of receiving the notice, failure to comply may incur penalties.
- Asbestos (because of the health risks of asbestos, Council advises you hire a professional to transport and dispose of asbestos)
- Syringes (Council can provide containers for safe syringe disposal)
- Dangerous goods such as household chemicals, pesticides, automotive fluids and fuels (take to a mobile Detox Your Home Collection)
- Materials from building construction and renovation including cement sheeting, rubble, bricks, plasterboard and concrete
- Tyres, car batteries and large car parts (take to a recycling centre or landfill, charges may apply)
- Paint (take to a permanent Detox your Home drop off point)
- Motor oil and liquid wastes (take to a recycling centre or landfill, charges may apply)
- Gas bottles (return to the supplier or take to a recycling centre or landfill, charges may apply)
- Household batteries (take to a permanent Detox your home drop off point or a Customer Service Centre)
- Waste from commercial and industrial operations (pay to dispose of this waste)
- Household garbage, green waste, or recycling.
What happens to your hard waste after it is collected
In July 2019 the Victorian Government's ban on e-waste to landfill came into effect. You can no longer place any e-waste in your household garbage bin. All e-waste, along with scrap metal and mattresses, collected via the kerbside hard waste collection will be recycled. All other items will be sent to landfill.
If you have hard waste at other times of the year
Do not put your unwanted goods on the footpath or nature strip at any time other than during the kerbside hard waste collection. This is illegal and you could face charges of up to $9,000.
- Take it to a Repair Cafe;
- Donate good quality items and furniture to charity;
- Contact Kids Off the Kerb for whitegoods collection and refurbishment;
- Visit the A - Z guide to waste and recycling to see how to recycle a range of items;
- Visit Ecoactiv, an online recycling booking platform, or call 1800 489 278 for pick up options (fees may apply);
- Take it to a recycling centre or landfill.
Organised scavenging
Organised or commercial scavenging results in a loss of valuable scrap metal for the hard waste contractors and therefore a more expensive service for Council. If you see someone scavenging for scrap metal, contact Council.
Where to find more information
The Waste Services in the City of Merri-bek brochure (PDF 2Mb) provides information on what to do with items that cannot be placed in your kerbside bins. You can download a copy or contact Council to request a printed version.