Which Bin Tips

Need to know 'which bin' and more importantly, why? Our handy and simple tips will help you get the most out of your recycling efforts.

Drop it off: electronic waste

Electronic waste, like TVs, phones, computers and cables, can be recycled – just not through your yellow bin.If ...

Always in the green bin: all food scraps – but not the packaging

All food scraps, including citrus, onion, dairy, meat, bones, fish, fruit and vegetables, need to be recycled th...

Drop it off: household chemicals and paint

Household chemicals and paint don’t belong in any of your kerbside bins. If you have leftover products that...

What happens with yellow bin materials?

Once collected from the kerbside, your yellow bin materials are taken to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), wh...

Drop it off: polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene (EPS), also known as Styrofoam, is used to produce items like meat trays and foam packaging...

Always in the yellow bin: aluminium foil

Aluminium foil can be recycled by scrunching it up into a ball the size of a tennis ball and placing it into you...

What goes in the green bin?

It's a common misconception that putting your food and organic waste in your landfill bin is no different from p...

Always in the green bin: shredded paper and sticky notes

Shredded paper, sticky notes and other small pieces of paper can go in your green bin.Paper provides a great sou...

Drop it off: batteries

Batteries are hazardous and can produce sparks that may start a fire in collection trucks or at the MRF.Batterie...

Using your kitchen caddy and green bin

All food scraps, tissues, paper towel, shredded paper, and more can be composted through your green bin.If you’r...

Always in the green bin: garden organics

Anything that grows in your garden can go in your green bin – that includes flowers, weeds, lawn clippings, leav...

10 common yellow bin contaminants

Placing landfill and organic waste items in your yellow recycling bin can contaminate the valuable recycling mat...

Always in the green bin: pet waste

Pet waste can in fact be composted through your green bin.You may say ‘ewww’ to pet poo, but rest assured the co...

Always in the green bin: coffee grounds, tea bags and loose tea leaves

Coffee grounds, tea bags and loose tea leaves can go into your green bin, or your home compost bin.Coffee ground...

What happens with green bin materials?

Once collected from your kerbside, your food and garden organics are taken to a local composting facility. In So...

What do the numbers on plastics really mean?

The numbers 1 to 7 found on plastics is not a recycling symbol, but rather a plastic or resin identification cod...

Christmas which list – naughty or nice?

Use Vin’s handy lists for wanted ‘nice’ and unwanted ‘naughty’ bin choices over the festive season.NicePutting f...

Ways to waste less

1. Avoid and reduceThe best way to waste less is to avoid or reduce it from the get-go.Take some time to conside...

Always keep your recyclables loose

When placing items in your recycling bin, keep them loose and free of plastic bags.When a bag of recyclables arr...

Always in the green bin: cold ash and charcoal

Having a fire to keep you nice and toasty this winter? Ashes and charcoal can go into your green bin, but only o...

Always in the yellow bin: metal cans and lids

Cans, like the ones peas and corn come in, can be rinsed and placed in your recycling bin.To recycle the metal l...

Always in the yellow bin: (mostly) clean plastic food containers

Plastic food containers and bottles, like ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, butter and margarine tubs, sauce bottles...

Always in the yellow bin: plastic trays and pots

Plastic pots and trays that new seedlings and trees come in can be recycled by emptying out the soil, giving the...

Always in the yellow bin: small hard plastics

Small hard plastics, like bottle tops and bread tags, can be safely recycled by collecting them in a clear plast...

Compostable, degradable and biodegradable plastic: what’s the difference?

CompostableCompostable bags are made of natural plant starch, and do not produce any toxic material. They break ...

Drop it off: building materials

Building materials, such as bricks, tiles, cement and wire, can't be recycled through your yellow-lidded recycli...

Drop it off: light globes

You can recycle light globes through the Backlight program by dropping them off at participating Mitre 10, True ...

Drop it off: textiles, clothing and footwear

Textiles, clothing and footwear can’t be recycled through your yellow or green bin. This includes items made fro...

Always in the green bin: cardboard egg cartons

Cardboard egg cartons can be composted through your green bin.Egg cartons are made from recycled, low-grade pape...

Always in the green bin: greasy pizza boxes and other takeaway packaging

Pizza boxes – especially when they’re greasy and have cheese or other food stuck to them – are great in your gre...

Always in the green bin: nail clippings, hair and pet fur

Nail clippings and hair from both humans and pets can go in the green bin – following the general rule, ‘if it g...

Always in the green bin: pencil and other wood shavings

Pencil and other wood shavings, like sawdust, can go in your green bin.If you have your own composting system se...

Always in the landfill bin: some glass products

While whole glass bottles and jars can be placed in your yellow recycling bin, other glass products such as wind...

Making the most of spring cleaning

Looking to tidy things up around the house? Follow these easy tips to make the most of the materials you no long...

Always in the landfill bin: broken glass

While whole, unbroken glass bottles and jars can be placed in your yellow recycling bin, any broken glass needs ...

Always in the landfill bin: nappies

Nappies, clean or dirty, must always be placed in your red/blue landfill bin.In South Australia, there are curre...

Always in the landfill bin: old garden tools and materials

Old garden tools and other materials such as hoses, irrigation pipe, rope and strapping that can no longer be us...

5 easy ways to go plastic free at home

Plastic Free July is a global movement that challenges participants to avoid using single-use plastics wher...

Always in the landfill bin: crockery

Ceramic plates, bowls, mugs, saucers, pots, and dishes made from earthenware or china must be placed in your red...

Hot Tip: hot wood is no good in any bin

Remember to safely dispose of ash and charcoal this winter.If you are using a wood fire, it is important to safe...

No Clothing in the Green Bin! Clothing is not compostable.

Usually the phrase ‘if it grows, it can go’ applies for anything that can be added to your green bin but with an...

It's Valentine's Day, so waste it?

Less Waste, More Love Why waste it? This Valentine’s Day express your love and admiration with less stuff a...

Christmas - Naughty or Nice

Use Vin’s handy lists for wanted (‘nice’) and unwanted (‘naughty’) bin choices over the festive season:NicePutti...

Tips to avoid food waste this festive season

For many, the festive season is a time when we prepare and eat lots of delicious food, but the unfortunate real...

Remember to recycle this festive season

This festive season (and always), be mindful of what materials you’re throwing away – it’s likely a lot of ...

Kitchen Caddy

Empty your caddy when full or every 2-3 days and rinse it after each use. For a more thorough clean you can use ...

A Nappy in the recycle bin doesn't make anyone happy!

Believe it or not, dirty nappies often end up at material recycling facilities.  They cause significant and...

Coffee grounds, tea bags and leaves go in the green bin

Coffee grounds contain a good amount of the essential nutrient nitrogen as well as some potassium and phosphorus...

Could your takeaway container be composted?

Compostable containers include 100% paper, cardboard, wood, rye straw or compostable products with no ...

The recycle bin is not where hoses, <br/>strapping, rope or wire go!

These items become entangled with recyclable materials and recycling machinery, causing contamination ...

What happens to the materials <br/>that go in your yellow bin for recycling?

Once received at the Materials Recycling Facility, (MRF) recyclables are pushed with a front end loader from the...

Recycle your old electronic items at a recycling centre.

If you get a new TV, phone, tablet or another electrical gadget be sure to re-gift or recycle your old one by ta...

No broken glass, crockery or light globes in the yellow lid recycle bin!

Broken glass, crockery and light globes cannot be recycled through the yellow lid recycle bin. Broken glass...

A great place for pet waste

Did you know that all pet waste can be composted through your green organics bin? You may s...

Cardboard egg cartons are good to go in the green bin.

Egg cartons are made from recycled, low grade paper and cardboard which is great for compos...

Easy ways we can reduce food waste.

Australia’s food waste figures speak for themselves. The Federal Government estimates more ...

Greasy pizza boxes and paper bags can go in the green bin.

Ever wondered what to do with a pizza box, particularly if it’s quite greasy or has cheese ...

Nail clippings and hair are good to go in the green bin.

If you ever find yourself in a hairy or nail biting situation…don’t fear, the green organic...

No Nappies

All nappies, even those that claim to be biodegradable or compostable need to go in the was...

Pencil shavings are good to go in the FOGO bin.

Pencil and other wood shavings such as saw dust can go in your green lidded food and garden...

Plastic bags, including biodegradable bags, don’t go in the green bin.

Plastic bags are one of the main contaminants found in the green bin. There is a lot of con...

Please keep polystyrene foam and other plastics out of the green bin

Expanded polystyrene foam (aka Styrofoam) includes meat trays, coffee cups and foam packagi...

Post-it notes are good to go in the green bin.

Post-it notes, small pieces of paper and shredded paper can be placed in the green bin. Pa...

Shredded paper is good to go in the green bin.

Shredded paper provides a great sources or carbon, which is an important component of good ...

Don't let contamination make your recyclables go to waste!

Although South Australians are the best recyclers in the nation, we can still do better by reducing our contami...

What happens to the materials in your green bin?

Once collected from kerbside, your food and garden organics are transported to a local composting facility....

It's time to ditch the single use plastics.

A big ‘hi five’ to anyone that has taken on the plastic free July challenge.  As you may know, it’s no...

If it grows in your garden, it goes in the green bin.

Whether its flowers or weeds, lawn clippings or leaves, sticks, small logs or bark, it can...

Plastic trays and pots do not compost.

If you are planting new seedlings or trees, make sure you keep the plastic trays and pots out of your green...

Five ways to go plastic free for July and hopefully beyond!

Here are five ways you can go plastic free for July and hopefully beyond. As School holidays are coming up we’ve...

Are coffee pods really that convenient?

In today’s world, we tend to emphasize convenience more than anything else. We seem to always be looki...

Why biodegradable bags are not good for the environment

What’s the difference between DEGRADABLE, BIODEGRADABLE, and COMPOSTABLE BAGS?…and which bin should I ...

Please make your recycling bin a NO FOAM ZONE!

Expanded polystyrene foam (aka Styrofoam) includes meat trays, coffee cups and foam packaging and is...

Building materials cannot be recycled in your recycle bin.

Building materials including bricks, tiles, cement and wire cannot be recycled through your yellow recycli...

Please place wood and other garden materials in the green lidded bin.

Wood and other garden materials do not belong in the yellow lidded recycle bin. They cause contamination and ca...

Shredded paper cannot be recycled in the recycle bin.

But it’s paper, so why can’t shredded paper be recycled? Shredded paper filters through other recyclable mater...

Wet paint and other liquids can send recyclables to waste!

To avoid causing a mess in your recycle bin and potentially sending your recyclables to waste, make sure pa...

What can you do with all the leaves that Autumn leaves?

  COMPOST THEM Gardening expert Graham ‘Willow’ Williams told ABC Radio that “Autumn leave...

Empty & rinse, then recycle

Please keep your recycling clean, dirty recyclables may end up in waste! It is unfortunately still quite common...

Soft plastic is not fantastic in your recycling bin!

Not sure which bin to put your plastic in? Apply the scrunch test… To make it easier for residents w...

Deciphering the plastic codes. What do the numbers on plastics really mean, are they recyclable?

The number 1 to 7  found on the bottom of plastics is not a recycling symbol but rather a plastic...

Please keep hazardous chemicals and batteries out.

Hazardous waste must NOT be placed in any of your household waste, recycling bin or green...

Remember to recycle your foil Easter Eggs wrappers.

Did you know? Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy required to produce Aluminium from raw ...

Why waste it? Eggsellent ways to avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle and compost waste this Easter!

Although the aluminium foil and plastic wrappers on Easter eggs may look pretty, it’s not so pretty when i...

Why waste your old clothing? Is donating it to charity really the best option?

The rise of fast fashion in Australia means 6,000 kilograms of clothing is dumped in landfill every 10...

No clothes please – or textiles/fabric in the recycling bin!

It seems to be a common misunderstanding that by placing clothing, footwear and textiles in the recycle bi...

Back to school...back to school, please don't waste things like a fool!

When preparing for your children going back to school consider how you can avoid, reduce, reuse, recy...

It's a New Year...so why waste it?

Make a New Year’s resolution to recycle more and waste less! Avoid or red...

Spring Clean

Why waste it? Spring time is a great time to declutter and clean up. Here are five easy steps to declutteri...

Food, glorious food, let's not waste it!

Christmas time is typically a time when we prepare and eat lots of delicious food…but why waste it? Many...

Remember to recycle it! Most gift, drink and food packaging can be recycled.

Please recycle in your yellow lidded recycling bin: Please ens...

Let's avoid, reduce and reuse waste this Christmas!

With Christmas just around the corner, here’s some great ways you can avoid, reduce and re-use waste, whic...

Aluminium foil trays and wrapping are 100% recyclable

Aluminium foil is 100% recyclable and recycling it saves 95% of the energy required to produce aluminium from ...

ALL food can go in the green 'food & garden organics (FOGO)' bin

Which bin? Food scraps including citrus, onion, dairy, meat, bones, fish, fruit and vegetable scraps can all b...

We hate to be a nag, but please don't place your recycling in a bag!

Bagged recycling cannot be separated and sorted for recycling and often goes to waste. The...

No garden hoses, irrigation pipe or garden tools please

Only compostable, organic garden materials and food should be placed in the green lidded food and garden organ...