Christmas Recycling and Waste Guide

Your kerbside bins will be collected as usual over the Christmas and New Year period.

Check your bin collection days

What to do if your bin is not collected (25 December - 1 January)

• Allow extra time: If your bin is not collected as early as usual, it may be collected later in the day.
• Report online: If your bin has not been collected by the next business day, report it online and we will process it on Friday 27 December 2024. If you would prefer to call 9518 3555, please check our holiday hours. 
• Leave uncollected bins out as they may be collected at any time – including weekends.

• Thank your for your patience and understanding. 

Tips

• Make sure the bins aren't too heavy. If you struggle to move them, they may be too heavy for the truck, which can only collect bins under 72kg. Read on for ways to reduce waste from your bins. 

Tips

• Take soft plastics to the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre.
• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers (or give to guests to take home).
• All food scraps can go in the food and garden waste (green) bin. Only use certified compostable liners to bag your food scraps. You can buy the right liners at Council facilities.

• Freeze seafood scraps, bones and prawn shells to avoid smells. Put them in the green bin the night before bin collection.

Warnings

• Don't put excess rubbish in the green bin as this will contaminate the compost created from our food and garden waste.

• Don't put batteries or e-waste in any kerbside bin.

How to reduce rubbish

Want to level up your recycling?

Try these ideas to avoid waste:

• Use paper wrapping paper (without glitter, plastics or laminates) and recycle when finished.
• Wrap items in creative ways, such as with newspaper, fabric or a gifted T-shirt or tea towel. Cardboard boxes can also be reused.
• Reuse wrapping paper for future gifts.
• Use reusable and washable plates and glasses to avoid sending disposable cutlery, plates and napkins to landfill.

Tips

• Take excess recycling to the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre. Many items (like cardboard) can be dropped off for free.
• Recycle eligible drink containers through the Container Deposit Scheme. Find refund points near you.
• Flatten or tear up cardboard to create more space.

• Put your recycling in loose.

Warnings

• Don't put excess recycling in the green bin as this will contaminate the compost created from our food and garden waste.
• Don't put batteries or e-waste in any kerbside bin.

Tips

• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers (or give to guests to take home).
• Repurpose leftovers in new meals.
• All food scraps can go in the food and garden waste (green) bin. Only use certified compostable liners to bag your food scraps. You can buy the right liners at Council facilities.

• Consider home composting food scraps. Monash residents can access a rebate (limits apply) on compost bins, worm farms and bokashi bins from Compost Community.

Warning

• Don't put food that's in containers in the green bin. Tip the food out loose. If you're bagging food waste, only use certified compostable liners. You can buy the right liners at Council facilities.

How to reduce food waste

Want to level up your recycling?

Try these ideas to avoid waste:

• Think about what you’ll be eating and for how many before you shop. Make a list to help avoid impulse buys.
• Some food stores sell food and pantry items by weight, so you can buy just what you need. Many also let you bring your own containers. Search "bulk food stores" online to find one near you.

• Freeze seafood, bones and prawn shells in an air-tight container. Then empty these loose into the green bin the night before bin collection.
• Sprinkle bi-carb soda in the green bin.

• Keep the green bin in the shade.

Watch a video on how to reduce smells

We will be pausing paid hard waste collections over Christmas and New Year.

If you need a paid hard waste collection before the end of 2024, book your collection before 4pm, Monday 16 December 2024.

All paid hard waste bookings made after this date will be collected after 8 January 2025. 

Monash residents get 1 FREE hard waste collection a year (July-September), but can also pay for an extra collection at a time that suits.

Book online

• Friday 13 December - closing at 2pm
• Wednesday 25 December - CLOSED
• Thursday 26 December - CLOSED
• Wednesday 1 January - CLOSED

The Recycling & Waste Centre is open all other days during the holiday period from 7.30am-3pm, seven days a week.

For staff and customer safety, the Recycling & Waste Centre may temporarily close to the public during extreme weather conditions.

Check Recycling & Waste Centre web page

Real Christmas trees

• Cut into small pieces and place in the food and garden waste (green) bin.
• Ensure sticks and branches are under 40cm in length.
• Take larger real trees to the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre (charges apply)

• Use the trunk as a garden feature. Explore more ideas at Gardens for Wildlife.

Fake Christmas trees

• Keep using for as many years as possible.
• Pass on fake trees in good condition to others so it can keep being used and loved instead of going to waste.

• Dispose of broken ones in the landfill (red) bin or the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre (charges apply).

Want to level up your recycling?

Some places rent Christmas trees, which can help to avoid waste in the first instance.

Excess cardboard: Flatten and take to Monash Recycling and Waste Centre.

Polystyrene: Take to the recycling centre (charges may apply. We can only accept clean, white, rigid domestic storage and packing polystyrene).

Foam balls, peanuts: Must be bagged and placed in the landfill (red) bin.

Bubble wrap, plastic film: Take to the recycling centre’s soft plastics collection point. 

Wrapping paper

• Put wrapping paper made of paper in the recycling (yellow) bin.
• Put wrapping paper with plastics, glitter, shiny or metallic elements in the landfill (red) bin.

• Make sure to remove any ribbons or bows from any wrapping.

Christmas cards

• Musical and singing cards are e-waste and cannot go in any kerbside bin. Take to the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre.

• Put plain Christmas cards in the yellow bin.

Decorations

• Donate Christmas decorations in good condition to charity

• Dispose of broken decorations in the red bin.

Want to level up your recycling?

Try these tips to avoid waste:

• Wrap items in creative ways, such as with newspaper, fabric or a gifted T-shirt or tea towel. Cardboard boxes can also be reused.
• Consider reusing wrapping paper for future gifts.
• Send e-cards.
• Use reusable and recyclable Christmas decorations. 

Take excess commingled recycling to Monash Recycling and Waste Centre (for free).

Empty food and drink bottles and cans made of plastic, glass or aluminium can also go in the kerbside recycling (yellow) bin.

Some eligible drink containers can be recycled under the Victorian Government’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) for a refund or charitable donation:

• Check CDS Vic eligible items.
• Find CDS Vic refund points near you.

Batteries and electronic items (e-waste) should never be put in any household bin.

 They can cause fires in the waste trucks and sorting facilities.

Take household batteries or older electronic items to the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre.

Take household batteries to safe recycling points at Aldi, Woolworths, Coles and Bunnings. Collection points are also available at Monash Civic Centre and Oakleigh Service Centre. Other collection points may be available.

How to recycle batteries and e-waste

Sometimes toys break over Christmas or you need to move on old toys.

• Check if there is an upcoming repair café that accepts broken toys.
• If the toys are electronic and cannot be repaired, take to Monash Recycling and Waste Centre (free disposal).
• If not electronic and the item is in good condition, donate it to charity.
• You can also take them to participating Big W stores for its recycling program (selected toys only).