The Green Bin

Did you know that about half of all waste produced by Australian households is made up of food scraps, garden waste and other organic matter, all of which can be recycled back into high quality compost just by using our green bins?

Green Bins are currently available for householders in the following Council areas in the Northern Rivers region: 
Balllina Shire, Byron Shire, Clarence Valley, Lismore City, Richmond Valley and Tweed Shire.

Click on your local Council name above to find out more information for all bin services.
If you live in the Kyogle Council area, you can easily participate in food and garden waste recycling by home composting. Contact the NE Waste Education Coordinator to find out more.

What goes in your green bin? let’s make every scrap count

  • Dairy (including cheese and yoghurt)
  • Meat, bones – cooked or raw
  • Seafood
  • Spoiled fruit, veggies and peelings
  • Bread, pasta, rice
  • Coffee grinds, tea bags/leaves
  • Food soiled paper and cardboard (eg. Pizza boxes, serviettes, paper towel and cardboard food containers
  • Wooden cutlery / chopsticks
  • Garden pruning & clippings

Sort the good scrap from the bad scrap

When things like plastic bags or containers make their way into our green lid bins, they contaminate our compost.

Tips:

Empty the food contents of hard plastic or steel containers into your kitchen scrap or green bin, before rinsing and placing this container into your recycling. 

Separate any plastic film or wrapping from food before it goes into the green bin, and either dispose in your red lid bin or recycle where possible through REDcycle located at Coles or Woolworths supermarkets 

Line your kitchen scrap bin with newspaper or a 100% compostable liner and ensure it’s in an easy to access place whilst preparing food.

Please remember: only Council approved 100% compostable bags* are accepted – look for the seedling logo. Plastic bags, degradable bags and biodegradable bags are all made from plastic – take them to your local REDcycle bin at Coles or Woolworths, or put them in in your red lid landfill bin.