Waste & Recycling

Waste_greenbinThe following information is provided for all Manly residents in relation to the comprehensive range of waste and recycling services provided by Council.  

Council provides a holistic waste and recycling collection service to maintain a clean environment, maximise the collection of recyclable material and minimise waste going to landfill. 

Garbage Collection

  • Garbage is collected from all domestic properties weekly.
  • It is collected from Council-supplied mobile garbage (wheelie) bins.
  • Single dwellings are provided with their own wheelie bin.
  • Flats, units and other multi-unit dwellings share wheelie bins – 1 x 240 litre wheelie bin to be shared between four units.
  • Residents are invited to clearly mark the bin day
  • Bins are to be put out at kerbside for collection before 5 am on the scheduled collection day.
  • No recyclable materials, vegetation, liquids, chemicals or builder's wastes are to be placed inside the garbage bin.
  • Bins with waste overflowing from the top will not be collected.
  • Bags placed on top of or beside garbage bins will not be collected.

Recycling Collection

  • Each week, one category of recycling is collected on the same day as the garbage collection.
  • One week the paper/cardboard recycling (blue lid bin) is collected, then the following week the mixed container recycling (yellow lid bin) is collected.
  • Council supplies mobile garbage (wheelie) bins for your recycling.
  • Contaminated recycling bins will not be collected, for example plastic bags and food wastes are contaminating materials.
  • Extra recycling that doesn’t fit into your recycling bin may be collected, and advice can be obtained as to how to present this material by telephoning 9907 2832.
  • Additional or larger size recycling bins are available free of charge, please call 9907 2832 to arrange delivery.

Blue Lidded Bin - Paper and Cardboard recycling

  • Fortnightly collection
  • DO recycle newspapers, magazines, cardboard products, office paper, envelopes, junk mail, telephone books, clean pizza boxes, egg cartons
  • DO NOT recycle food soiled paper and cardboard, plastic bags/liners, polystyrene or waxed cardboard

Yellow Lidded Bin - Mixed Recycling

  • Fortnightly collection (alternate weeks to blue paper bin)
  • YES glass bottles and jars, steel and aluminium cans, milk and juice cartons, aerosol cans (remove lids) and all disposable plastic containers and bottles used in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry, including food, beverage, shampoo, detergent and household cleaner bottles (regardless of recycling number)
  • NO vegetation, ceramics, porcelain, mirrors or windows, light globes, plastic toys
  • NO recyclable material in plastic bags
  • Recycling will not be collected if it is contaminated

What day is my street serviced

Please see the What Day is My Street Serviced documents to find out which day Council comes to your street. Alternatively this information can be obtained by telephoning (02) 9976 1500. 

What if I don’t have any bins? What if my bin is stolen or damaged?

Council provides garbage and recycling wheelie bins for every residential property. For new bins, repairs or replacement bins please call Manly Council's Waste Services on 9907 2832. Charges may apply  for replacement bins. 

What if I have extra garbage that won’t fit in my bin?

Any extra garbage is “excess” and must be paid for before collection. Excess garbage must be placed in a 55 litre container (such as an old round garbage bin). There is a $12 charge for each excess large plastic bag of waste.  If you regularly have excess garbage, please contact the Waste Minimisation Education Officer on (02) 9976 1655 for advice on how to reduce your waste.

My Waste/Recycling wasn’t collected!

If your garbage or recycling has not been collected please call the Waste Coordinator on (02) 9907 2832.

Vegetation Collection

Remember, this material will be processed into compost and therefore must be kept free of material that will contaminate the process and quality of the product.

Manly Council will collect all types of vegetation on the scheduled Wednesday of each month (shown on your calendar) that is presented in the following manner:

  • In a Manly Council vegetation recycling bin (single dwellings only)
  • Bundles up to 1.5m x 600mm tied with compostable string
  • In cardboard boxes and small hessian sacks which will be taken
  • As a reasonable one person lift of less than 16 kg
  • In rigid plastic containers such as crates and bins
  • In clearly marked “vegetation only” 120 litre and 240 litre wheelie bins.

Manly Council will refuse collection of vegetation that is:

  • Unbundled, loose, untied or tied with non-compostable synthetic string or wire
  • In plastic, poly and other synthetic bags
  • Not a reasonable one person lift – ie exceeding 16kg, exceeding 1.5 metres in length, unsafe to handle.
  • Vegetation in the paper or co-mingled recycling bins
  • Branches, logs and stumps over 75mm in diameter
  • Painted, stained, nailed, over sized or chemically treated timber
  • Materials that are not vegetation

General Clean-up

This service is provided to every household twice per year. For your general clean up dates see pdf format What day is my street serviced 2012.pdf (463.69 KB) or refer to the 2012 Waste and Recycling Collection Calendar.

Manly Council has been providing free collection of E-waste (Electronic Waste) since 2010. E-waste is no longer accepted in general clean-up collections. E-Waste is defined as computers, televisions, printers, scanners, modems, DVD players, VCR's and gaming machines.  For a list of re-use and recylcing options please refer to the "eWaste" section of Council's website.  The collected e-waste is recycled.  Collection dates are advertised on our website.

Residents of Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah Councils, showing proof of residency, in a car, ute or trailer, may deliver up to 5 items of electronic waste free to Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre. Charges apply to commercial or non-resident loads, charged by e-waste tonnage rate.

Contact Kimbriki for more information. Items must be placed in the designated E-waste area

Council will collect household furniture, mattresses, non-recyclable household items, carpets, white goods / electrical and non-recyclable plastics

Council will not collect building materials, chemicals, paints, car parts, batteries, tyres and oils, concrete, vegetation, household garbage or gas cylinders

Second Hand Saturday

If you have items that you no longer need but that are too good to throw away, why not consider holding a Second Hand Saturday Garage Sale?  Manly Council will provide:

  • FREE advertising of your garage sale in the Manly Daily
  • FREE posters and information guides
  • See the Second Hand Saturday page on Council's website or call 9976 1652 for more information.

Residents are encouraged to explore constructive uses for unwanted material before placing them out for collection and disposal. For information on organisations that accept unwanted goods, log onto www.recyclingnearyou.com.au 

Don’t throw out toys and books! If they are clean and in good condition, they can be given to local hospitals, doctor’s surgeries and daycare centres. Consider having a garage sale and selling what you can. Log onto www.freecycle.org, a website made up of community group members giving and receiving free unwanted items over the internet.   Alternatively, try a similar website http://www.reuseitnetwork.org/ and click on Australia and Sydney North for Manly's local community.

Otherwise donate items to your local charity or re-use organisation. They may even arrange a collection day for furniture if the items are useful to them. Furniture must be in good condition and not in need of repair. Examples of such charities and organisations are:

  • Reverse Garbage 9569 3132
  • St Vincent de Paul 9905 0424
  • The Salvation Army 9625 8174
  • Lifeline 9949 5522
  • The Smith Family 9972 0337
  • Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group 9913 8182

Toys can be dropped off at the Manly Library collection box (ground floor, Market Lane, Manly).  Please do not dump rubbish, it is illegal and may be subject to a $1500 fine. Dispose of the item responsibly, think of the alternatives - reuse, repair or recycle it. 

Moving House!

When you move out of home there’s often more rubbish than you thought. If you only have a small amount of additional waste, please either call Council’s on-call collection service (user pays) on 9907 2832.  Alternatively, call WSN Environmental Services on 1300 651 116 or Kimbriki on 9486 3512 for information on what items their Recycling & Waste Disposal Centres accept.

If you have a large amount of rubbish we recommend that you check the local Yellow Pages for skip providers and rubbish movers. Please don’t leave unwanted items on the nature strip, Council investigates illegal dumping. Dumping of rubbish is illegal and carries heavy fines. Tenants and agents should note that any skip bins for waste disposal stored on Council property must be obtained from a Council “preferred supplier” and will incur a fee. Call the Rangers on 9976 1631 for information on preferred suppliers.

Here’s a checklist of things to consider:

  • Make sure all your waste is correctly disposed of
  • Redirect your mail
  • Leave your property clean and tidy so you get your bond back
  • Make sure the electricity, gas and telephone are disconnected
  • Cancel your magazine and newspaper subscriptions
  • Tell your dentist, doctor and other relevant people your new address
  • Change the address on your children’s immunisation records

Waste Minimisation Education Officer

Manly Council currently has a Waste Minimisation Education Officer to assist the community in dealing with waste issues and assist in meeting federal and state waste reduction targets. The Waste Minimisation Education Officer can be contacted on 9976 1655 or waste.edu@manly.nsw.gov.au.  

The Waste Minimisation Education Officer position is designed to provide information, resources and training to:

  • Residents
  • Community Groups
  • Schools
  • Business / Industry
  • Council

Some of the major projects the Officers have undertaken are:

  • Composting workshops for residents and school children
  • In-house training and development regarding waste avoidance and minimisation
  • Waste reduction on the annual Manly Food, Wine and Sustainability Festival
  • The transition to mobile garbage bins for all residents

Council’s Waste Minimisation Education Officer can offer advice on:

  • Worm farms
  • Composting
  • Recycling
  • Environmentally friendly alternatives to disposal of unwanted items
  • Acceptable and unacceptable items for Council’s general clean-up and vegetation collections

Waste Collection Staff

Please slow down when approaching a garbage truck, these people are keeping your scene clean and have the right to work in a safe environment.