3-Bin 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
Residents in Penrith have a 3-bin waste service for organics, recycling and residual garbage.
The 3-bin service was introduced to reduce the amount of reusable waste being buried in landfill, which is the most expensive way to dispose of waste.
The three bin system;
- reduces the amount of reusable waste going into landfill
- saves our residents money
- offers a greater total bin capacity for each household than under the two bin system
- allows us to meet targets set by the State Government for all local councils to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill
The system is designed so that organic waste is recycled into high-grade compost, recyclables are remade into new products and the small amount of waste leftover is buried in landfill.
Green-lidded organics bin
The green-lidded organics bin is for all food scraps & garden clippings and is collected on a weekly basis.
How often is the green-lidded organics bin emptied?
The green bin is collected weekly as it is for food scraps, which are classified as putrescible waste and is required to be collected weekly.
If you have a large garden / lawn, you can request a second bin. Alternatively, if you have a small garden / lawn you can request a smaller bin.
What can I put in the organics bin?
The organics bin is for all food scraps and garden clippings.
Due to the nature of food scraps, it is recommended to put your organics bin out for collection every week to prevent odour.
Please do not use plastic bags in this bin as they do not break down in the composting process.
| Animal droppings | Fish & chip paper | Palm fronds & nuts |
| Bones | Flowers | Paper bags |
| Branches (broken up) | Food leftovers & scraps | Paper plates |
| Bread, cereals, grains, nuts & seeds | Fruit & vegetable scraps | Paper towels |
| Cereal slops | Garden trimmings & prunings | Pizza boxes & pizza |
| Chewing gum / bubble gum | Grass cuttings | Plant cuttings |
| Chicken bones, skins & scraps | Hair & fur | Shellfish waste |
| Cooking oils / fats (frozen) | Kitty litter (clay or paper based) | Shredded scrap paper |
| Coffee grounds | Leaves | Tea bags & tea leaves |
| Dairy products | Meat | Tissues |
| Egg shells | Newspaper | Vegetable scraps |
| Fish & bones | Paper napkins | Weeds |
| Wood (untreated, unpainted, without nails or metal fittings and less than 30cm in length) | ||
For more information on what can go into the green-lidded organics bin, please call Waste Services on 4732 7615.
Download a 3-bin waste sorting guide
Yellow-lidded recycling bin
The yellow-lidded recycling bin is for all recyclable items and is collected on a fortnightly basis.
How often is the yellow-lidded recycling bin emptied?
The yellow bin is collected fornightly. Due to costs, a weekly collection is not available, however you can request a second recycling bin.
What can I put in the recycling bin?
The recycling bin is for all recyclable items. To reduce size and bulk, items can be squashed or crushed before placing in the bin.
Please do not use plastic bags in this bin as they cannot be recycled at the facility. It is not necessary to wash containers and jars, however, please ensure all food scraps and other contents are removed.
The following items can be placed in the yellow-lidded recycling bin:
| Books | Junk mail | Plastic bottles/ tubs & jars |
| Bottles & jars (plastic or glass) | Laundry detergent bottles | Poppers |
| Cardboard boxes and rolls | Magazines | Shampoo & conditioner bottles |
| Cereal boxes | Margarine tubs | Steel & tin cans |
| Coffee cans | Milk bottles/ cartons | Take-away containers |
| Computer paper | Motor oil containers (empty & clean) | Tetrapaks / poppers |
| Cosmetic jars | Newspapers | Toilet roll & cardboard tubes |
| Cream cheese tubs | Office paper | Wine / beer bottles |
| Drink cans / bottles | Oil containers (empty & clean) | Wrapping paper |
| Envelopes | Paint cans (empty & clean) | Yoghurt containers |
| Food cans | Pet food cans | |
| Glass bottles & jars | Phone books |
For more information on what can go into the yellow-lidded recycling bin, please call Waste Services on 4732 7615.
Download a 3-bin waste sorting guide
Red-lidded residual waste bin
The red-lidded residual waste bin is for any items that are not suitable for the recycling or organics bin. It is collected fortnightly as a standard option, however a weekly collection can be requested.
How often is the red-lidded residual waste bin emptied?
The red bin is collected fortnightly as a standard option, however a weekly collection can be requested.
If you are sorting your waste correctly but are still struggling with capacity, there are other options available, such as getting a larger bin.
What can I put in the residual waste bin?
The residual waste bin is for any items that are not able to be placed in the organics or reycling bins. Any items placed in this bin are buried at landfill and not reused or recycled.
To get the most use out of your red-lidded 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 clean-up, given away or sold. While it isn't "wrong" to place recyclable or compostable items in this bin, these items will often take up a large amount of available space in the bin.
The following items can be placed in the red-lidded residual waste bin:
| Bandaids / dressings | Foil sachets & bags | Pyrex |
| Batteries (household) | Garden hose | Shoes |
| Bread bags / tags | Hygiene products | Stockings / pantihose |
| Candles | Kitty litter | Straws |
| Carbon paper | Lightbulbs | Supermarket 'green' bags |
| Cassette tapes / Videos / CDs / DVDs | Lolly / sweet / chocolate wrappers | Styrofoam |
| Ceramics | Meat trays and plastic wrap | Toothbrushes |
| Cereal box plastic inserts | Pet food satchets | Toothpaste tubes |
| Clothes / textiles and shoes | Pens / pencils / crayon / textas | Toys |
| Crockery & cutlery | Personal hygiene products | Treated timber |
| Disposable nappies | Plastic bags | Vacuum cleaner dust |
| Drinking glasses | Plastic wrap | Waxed paper / cardboard |
| Foam boxes | Polystyrene cups & packaging | Window glass / mirrors |
| Foam underlay | Potato chip & snack bags |
For more information on what can go into the red-lidded residual waste bin, please call Waste Services on 4732 7615.
Download a 3-bin waste sorting guide
Main service options
Sustainable Service - $399*
- 240L Organics bin weekly
- 240L Recycling bin fortnightly
- 140L Residual bin fortnightly
Large Residual Waste Service - $484*
- 240L Organics bin weekly
- 240L Recycling bin fortnightly
- 240L Residual bin fortnightly
Weekly Residual Waste Service - $598*
- 240L Organics bin weekly
- 240L Recycling bin fortnightly
- 140L Residual bin weekly
Weekly Large Residual Waste Service - $775*
- 240L Organics bin weekly
- 240L Recycling bin fortnightly
- 240L Residual bin weekly
Additional service options
- Additional 140L Organics bin weekly - $100*
- Additional 240L Organics bin weekly - $100*
- Additional 140L Recycling bin fortnightly - $50*
- Additional 240L Recycling bin fortnightly - $50*
- Additional 360L Recycling bin fortnightly - $50*
- Upsize Recycling bin fortnightly to 360L - $20*
- Additional 140L Residual bin fortnightly - $130*
- Additional 240L Residual bin fortnightly - $200*
- Additional 140L Residual bin weekly - $260*
- Additional 240L Residual bin weekly - $400
How to change your bin service
To change your service option, or to discuss suitable options for your household, please contact Waste Services on 4732 7615.
Please note: Only the property owner can change the service being provided to a property. However, if you are a tenant, you can still contact Waste Services for advise on the different options.
Kitchen Tidies
Council sells a kitchen organics tidy bin to help collect food scraps from the kitchen.
It has been specially designed to fit the Council-provided green compostable bags. Please do not use any other bags, even if they are labelled as compostable or biodegradable, as they do not break down quickly enough for composting.
If you need a new kitchen tidy bin, they can be purchased from the Customer Service Counters at Penrith or St Marys Council Offices for $11.00 including GST.
Offices
- Penrith Office - 601 High Street PENRITH
- St Marys Office - 207 Queen Street ST MARYS
Libraries
- Penrith Library - 601 High Street PENRITH
- St Marys Library - 207 Queen Street ST MARYS
- ST Clair Library - St Clair Shopping Centre, Corner of Bennett Road & Endeavour Avenue ST CLAIR
Alternatively, you can use a container of your own to collect & transport food scraps. It is important that the container is only used to collect the scraps and is not to be disposed of in the organics bin.
Green Compostable Bags
Green compostable bags are delivered free of charge to every household on the 3-Bin Waste Service four times a year to collect food waste.
They are the only bags that can be put into the green lidded organics bin as they are specially designed and have been tested to break down during the 6 week composting process.
While the bags do not have an expiry date, they should last at least 12 months if stored correctly. Please store the bags in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent bags from breaking down prematurely.
If you find the bags are splitting, tearing or breaking apart they are most likely old. If you are having these issues with a packet of bags that you believe are new, please contact Waste Services on 4732 7615 so it can be investigated.
If your household needs more bags, additional bags can be picked up for free from any of Council's Offices or Libraries.
Offices
- Penrith Office - 601 High Street PENRITH
- St Marys Office - 207 Queen Street ST MARYS
Libraries
- Penrith Library - 601 High Street PENRITH
- St Marys Library - 207 Queen Street ST MARYS
- ST Clair Library - St Clair Shopping Centre, Corner of Bennett Road & Endeavour Avenue ST CLAIR
Additional Benefits
4 free bulky waste clean-up collections per year
Every household on the 3-bin system has 4 free cleanups per calendar year. These clean-ups are not scheduled per suburb, but are a on-request service.
You can dispose of items such as old furniture, mattresses, clothing & small items. Book a cleanup by calling the Waste Hotline on 4732 7777. For more information see Council Clean-Up Collections or call the Waste Hotline on 4732 7777.
Chemical drop-off days
Council hosts a free chemical drop off day at Jamison Park, Penrith. Pack your old household cleaners & chemicals, pool chemicals, batteries, 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 regular free e-waste drop off days at Jamison Park, Penrith. Pack your 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, see Electronic Waste Drop-Off Days page.
Free bin repair
If your bin is broken, cracked or missing a lid, you can organise a free repair by calling the Waste Hotline on 4732 7777. For the green-lid organics bin or the red-lid residual waste bin, select option 1. For the yellow-lid recycling bin, select option 2.