Waste Collection

Welcome to the Waste Collection section of the Dorset Council website.

We have endeavoured to include all information relating to the queries you might have on waste collection here.

If you have queries about our other waste management activities such as: fees at our waste disposal areas, what can be disposed of, disposal of trade waste, or our waste minimisation activities please click here.

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What laws control garbage collection?
2. When does my garbage get collected?
3. Can I use my own bin or do I need to get a wheelie bin?
4. What items can I put in the kerbside recycling bin?
5. If I need to get a replacment bin or recycling crate, what must I do?
6. If I don't put out a bin or recycling crate, why do I still get charged a fee on my rate notice?
7. What can I do with items that are too big, or are not collected by the normal roadside collection?
8. What can I do with my green waste?

The Dorset Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy 2001 -2005 provides the framework for Council's current waste management system.

Section 20 of the Local Government Act 1993 details the functions and powers of councils including the power to provide services to meet the needs of their communities.

Specifically, sections 145 to 174 of the Act allows a council to make by-laws, while section 93(1)(d) allows a council to set a service rate for garbage removal.

 Waste Collection and Recycling Guide 2009_2010 (553 kb)

The current years Recycling Guide can be obtained from Council Offices on 03 6352 6500

Only wheelie bins provided by the collection contractor (currently collex) can be used.

When placing a wheelie bin out for collection, please make sure that:

• the wheels are facing away from the kerb
• the wheelie bin is placed as close to the kerb as possible
• it is on level ground and one metre away from any other wheelie bin
• the wheelie bin is away from trees, power poles and any obstructions that would prevent the mechanical arm being able to grab the bin
• the lid is fully shut on the bin
• there are no items placed on top of the lid.

In some small cul-de-sacs it may be necessary to place the bins together at the entrance to the cul-de-sac where the road is usually a bit straighter, as the mechanical arm may not be able to reach bins placed on the curved parts of the kerb.

Items that should not be placed in a wheelie bin include:

• hot ashes
• unwrapped vacuum dust
• liquids
• syringes
• oils
• paints and solvents
• timber and building materials.

Dorset Council operates a fortnightly kerbside collection service for recyclable items, using a recycling crate.

The collection times are as follows: Same as garbage collection (except not provided in Tomahawk).

As with your normal garbage it is generally best to put the bin out the night before, as the collection run may commence early in the morning.

Items that will be collected as part of the kerbside collection service are:

• Cardboard - Separate from newspaper, flatten boxes, tie in bundles and place beside crate. Do not place in plastic bags.
• Newspapers and Magazines - Separate from cardboard, tie in bundles and place beside crate. Do not place in plastic bags.
• Milk and Juice cartons - Wash and flatten, stack inside each other to make a brick.
• Glass bottles and jars - Wash and remove all caps and lids.
• Aluminium and Steel cans - Includes food and drink cans, pie trays, clean foil and aerosol cans. Rinse food cans.
• PET, HDPE and PVC plastic - Generally juice, milk and cream plastic bottles, identified by the recycling code number 1,2 or 3 inside the logo which is usually on the base of the bottle. Rinse, squash and remove all lids.

Items that cannot be collected as part of the kerbside recyclables collection service include:

• Plastic bags
• Window glass
• Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
• House cleaning product bottles
• Ice-cream, yoghurt, butter and margarine containers
• Crockery
• Meat trays
• Plastic containers with the recycling code number 4,5,6 or 7

If you have any queries about the recycling service in your area please contact Dorset Council on 63526500.

Information about other recycling businesses, including contact details, can be found in the Tasmanian Waste Recovery and Recycling directory on the Department of Primary Industries & Water (DPIW) website.

This directory lists all the recycling businesses in the State by the type of material they collect. It also includes information about drop-off points for recyclable materials in each council area.

Councils will generally replace bins and recycling crates when requested and when a person has genuinely lost a bin or had it stolen or damaged.

The bins and recycling crates should only be used for garbage collection and the collection of recyclables respectively and are not issued for use as general household storage containers.

If you move house, the bin and crate should not be taken with you.

If you have lost or damaged your wheelie bin or recycling crate, please contact the Dorset Council on (03) 6352 6500 to arrange for a replacement.

If you live in an area provided with a collection service, you are entitled to use that service. Council must pay the contractor to service the whole area, thus council passes the cost of collection onto all residential properties and spreads it around all those entitled to access the service.

Dorset Council runs an annual kerbside collection of items too large for the normal kerbside collection service. These include such items as furniture, household appliances, junk and small amounts of building materials.

The amount of items per household should not exceed 1.5 cubic metres per tenement. Items for collection should be able to be safely lifted and placed on a truck by two people (no one item is to exceed 60kg).

Items that will not be collected include hazardous materials, broken glass or rotting matter. For further information about collection times and dates contact Dorset Council on (03) 63526500.

Waste transfer stations have a defined area where the green waste is generally stockpiled. When leaving green waste at such centres it is important to ensure it does not have other general garbage mixed with it.

To reduce household green waste, add grass, leaves, small twigs and prunings to food waste and create a compost heap and/or a worm farm. Compost bins and worm farms can be bought at most hardware stores and garden centres.

Garden and food waste is estimated to account for over 50% of household waste, thus mulching and composting can make a significant difference in terms of reducing such waste. To find out more about reducing household waste click here.

Waste Transfer Stations are located in Scottsdale, Branxholm & Gladstone.  The opening hours for each Transfer Station are located below: