Did you know that leaving your unwanted household items outside your property or on the street is illegal?
You could be fined up to $4000 for it. Dumped rubbish is unpleasant and makes the neighbourhood look untidy. There are better ways to get rid of unwanted goods.

Council household item collection service

Many local councils offer free collection services for unwanted bulky household items. If you have something that can’t  go in your  waste or recycling bin, call your  council and ask them about their  clean up or bulky household item collection services.  Each council has different rules about the type and quantity of household items that can be collected.

If you live in a unit  complex your  local council may have special  rules regarding collection services  for your  home.  Contact your  Client Service  Officer who  can assist organise a clean up service  for the whole complex.

If you are not  able to participate in a council clean up service,  you can take your  items to a Resource Recovery Centre where fees apply,
or check  the Yellow Pages for rubbish removal services.

Visit  http://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/local-government-directory to find the contact details for your Local Council

Reuse, donate, recycle or sell unwanted items

Before contacting your  council about their  household item collection services,  consider
whether you can help people in need and keep waste out  of landfill:

1.Reuse – Some councils support reuse and repair centres that collect, repair and sell furniture, appliances, household goods, bikes, books and more.  The Bower Reuse
& Repair  Centre (call 9568  6280 or visit www.bower.org.au) offers a free collection service  for household furniture and items
in good condition in many  council areas in
Sydney.

2.  Donate – Consider giving useable  items to friends or family, or donating them  to charities or op-shops. Many charities accept furniture, toys, clothes, bric-a-brac, books and appliances that are in a good condition.

3.  Recycle – Visit  Planet  Ark’s  website at www.recyclingnearyou.com.au or call their Recycling Hotline on 1300 733 712 (Mon  - Fri, 9am - 5pm) to find  out  what you can and cannot recycle, and where you can drop-off your  items to be recycled.

4.  Sell or trade – Use social  media,  online marketplaces such as eBay or Gumtree, or in person at pawnshops, or list your
unwanted items for free collection via online trading sites such as Yours2Take or Ziilch.

How  to recycle problem household waste

Community Recycling Centres are drop-off centres for common household problem wastes that can’t  be collected via council kerbside waste and recycling collection services.  The Centres operate throughout the year and offer a free and easy way to dispose of household problem waste such as gas bottles, motor oils, paints, batteries and fluorescent light globes.

Household Chemicals - Chemical CleanOut events  are a free and safe way to dispose of your  household chemicals including cleaning products, hobby chemicals and pesticides. They are normally held on weekends with household quantities of up to 20kg or 20 litrres accepted. Visit  www.cleanout.com.au to find your  nearest Community Recycling Centre or Chemical CleanOut event.

Medicines - Return out-dated medicine to your local chemist for safe disposal.

Mobile Phones  - Recycle your  old mobile
phone  at Australia Post shops or Mobile  Muster bins at your  local bank or phone  shop.

E-Waste

Did you know that your electronic waste such as TVs, computers, telephones, entertainment appliances and household appliances (vacuum, microwave, toaster, coffee maker,  hair dryer) can contain precious metals and raw materials that should be recycled? Contact your  local council or visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au to find  out
where you can take your  e-waste for recycling.

What to do when moving out?

Tenants are responsible for ensuring that all their belongings and any waste from the property are removed at the end of a tenancy. If you have unwanted bulky household items, contact your  local council at least four weeks  before your  tenancy end date to enquire about their  clean up or bulky household item collection services.

You may be required to pay for the cost of storing and/or disposing of household items you leave behind, after you have been given correct notice.

Report Illegal Dumping

Illegal  waste dumping is a crime.  By reporting illegal  dumping you can help keep your neighbourhood clean and stop dumping activity. When  caught, dumpers can be fined and required to clean up and lawfully dispose of their  waste.

To report illegal  dumping call 131 555 or visit RID Online  https://ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au/ Reporting is quick,  easy and you can make your  report anonymously. Your  report is appreciated, even if you did not  see who dumped it.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA), councils and Regional Illegal  Dumping (RID) squads  can investigate illegal  dumping and work with communities to deter dumping.

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