Collect and Return Waste Service
- Details
- Written by: Adam Gatt Penrith City Council (02) 4732 7777 (02) 4732 7958 council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au 601 High St Penrith NSW 2750 Australia
The Collect and Return Service is offered to most large multi-unit complexes. Those on this service keep their bins in a bin storage area for the shared use of all residents.
For more information about waste and resource recovery services available, download our Waste and Resource Recovery Guide:
Bin Collection Frequency
- Red-lidded residual bins are emptied twice weekly by our contractors directly from the bin storage area.
- Yellow-lidded recycling bins are emptied weekly by our contractors directly from the bin storage area.
- Green-lidded Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) bins are currently being trialled at some complexes on the Collect and Return Service. These bins are emptied weekly by our contractors directly from the bin storage area. FOGO bins are expected to be provided to all complexes by the end of 2024.
Correct presentation and use of bins
- Residents are not required to place their bins at the kerbside
- Keep all bins in the bin storage area at all times
- Place all waste inside the correct bins provided (see ‘sorting information’ below for more information on what items belong in each bin)
Please note: waste left on the floor of the bay will not be collected
Sorting information
The yellow-lidded recycling bin
The recyclable items from the recycling bin get separated into different types of materials and are remade into new products, Council even uses the glass collected in these bins to make roads!
What can I put in the yellow-lidded recycling bin?
- Please follow these simple recycling steps: "Know it", "Empty it", "Rinse it", "Sort it"! Know what can be recycled, empty contents out, rinse containers and bottles, and sort it in the correct bin.
- To reduce size and bulk, items such as cardboard and drink containers can be squashed or crushed before being placed in the bin.
- Please do not use plastic bags in this bin as they cannot be recycled at the facility.
| Books | Junk mail | Plastic bottles/tubs and jars |
| Bottles and jars (plastic or glass) | Laundry detergent bottles | Poppers |
| Cardboard boxes and rolls | Magazines | Shampoo and conditioner bottles |
| Cereal boxes | Margarine tubs | Steel and tin cans |
| Coffee cans | Milk bottles/cartons | Take-away containers |
| Computer paper | Motor oil containers (empty and clean) | Tetrapaks/poppers |
| Cosmetic jars | Newspapers | Toilet roll and cardboard tubes |
| Cream cheese tubs | Office paper | Wine/beer bottles |
| Drink cans/bottles | Oil containers (empty and clean) | Wrapping paper |
| Envelopes | Paint cans (empty and clean) | Yoghurt containers |
| Food cans | Pet food cans | Pizza boxes |
| Glass bottles and jars | Phone books |
Please visit The Waste Spot, Council's online destination for all of your waste-related requests.
The red-lidded residual bin
The red-lidded residual bin is for any items that are not suitable for the recycling or FOGO bins and are buried at landfill and not reused or recycled. There are many environmental impacts of waste going to landfill and it is the most expensive way to dispose of waste.
What can I put in the red-lidded residual bin?
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To get the most use out of your residual bin, ensure the only items being placed in this bin are items that cannot be placed in the other bins, booked in as part of a bulky waste collection, given away or sold.
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Recyclable items often take up a lot of space in the residual bin and it is recommended that these items be sorted into the respective yellow-lidded recycling bin
| Animal droppings | Bandaids/dressings | Batteries (household) | Bones* |
| Branches (broken up)* | Bread, cereals, grains, nuts and seeds* | Bread bags/tags | Candles |
| Cassette tapes/Videos/CDs/DVDs | Ceramics | Cereal box plastic inserts | Cereal slops* |
| Chewing gum/bubble gum* | Chicken bones, skins and scraps* | Clothes/textiles and shoes | Coffee grounds* |
| Cooking oils/fats (frozen)* | Crockery and cutlery | Dairy products* | Disposable nappies |
| Drinking glasses | Egg shells* | Fish and bones* | Flowers* |
| Foam boxes and underlay | Foil sachets and bags | Food leftovers and scraps* | Fruit and vegetable scraps* |
| Garden hose | Garden trimmings and prunings* | Grass cuttings* | Hair and fur |
| Hygiene products | Kitty litter | Leaves* | Lightbulbs |
| Lolly/sweet/chocolate wrappers | Meat* | Meat trays and plastic wrap | Palm fronds and nuts* |
| Paper napkins | Paper towels | Pens/pencils/crayon/textas | Personal hygiene products |
| Pet food sachets | Plant cuttings* | Plastic bags | Plastic wrap |
| Polystyrene cups and packaging | Potato chip and snack bags | Pyrex | Shellfish waste* |
| Shoes | Stockings/pantihose | Straws | Styrofoam |
| Supermarket ‘green’ bags | Tea bags and tea leaves* | Tissues | Toothbrushes |
Toothpaste tubes | Toys | Treated timber | Vacuum cleaner dust |
| Waxed paper/cardboard | Weeds* | Window glass/mirrors | Wood (less than 30cm in length) |
Please visit The Waste Spot, Council's online destination for all of your waste-related requests.
*Complexes with a FOGO bin should place any food scraps and garden waste into the green-lidded bin instead of the red-lidded bin.
Please visit The Waste Spot, Council's online destination for all of your waste-related requests.
Additional services available
4 free Bulky Waste Collections per year
Every household on the Collect & Return Service has four free clean-ups per calendar year. These clean-ups are not scheduled per suburb but are an on-request service.
You can dispose of items such as old furniture, mattresses, clothing and small items. Book a clean-up by visiting The Waste Spot, Council's online destination. For more information, see Bulky Waste or visit The Waste Spot.
Chemical Drop-Off Days
Council hosts free chemical drop-off days every year.
Pack old household cleaners and chemicals, pool chemicals, gas bottles and oils in the boot of your car. The friendly staff will unload for you and the items collected will be disposed of safely and correctly. For more information, including the next drop-off day, see Chemical Drop-Off Days page.
E-Waste Drop-Off Days
Council holds free e-waste drop-off days every year.
Pack old televisions, computers, microwaves, stereos and other electronic waste in your car or trailer. The friendly staff will unload for you and the items collected will be recycled. All items dropped off are disassembled, sorted and recovered for recycling into new products.
For more information, including the next drop-off day, visit our Electronic Waste Drop-Off Days page.
Free Bin Repairs
If one of your complex's bins is broken, cracked or missing a lid, you can organise a free repair by visiting The Waste Spot