It’s your turn Paddington! Kerbside Collection returns on the 7th of February 2022. Here are some quick reminders for a stress-free collection day.
First off, here is a rundown of the items that you can and cannot place on the kerb:
| Acceptable Items | Unacceptable Items |
| bath and laundry tubs | commercial builders waste |
| bicycles and sporting equipment | car parts and tyres, including car batteries |
| carpet and rugs | dirt and stones |
| electronic waste (e.g. televisions and computers) | garden waste (e.g. trees, grass, potted plants) |
| furniture and white goods (e.g. fridges and stoves) | gas bottles |
| small household appliances (e.g. fans and toasters) | general household waste (e.g. food scraps) |
| wood products less than 1.5 metres | glass and mirrors bricks and concrete |
| hazardous wastes (e.g. chemicals, oil, asbestos) household waste that normally goes into your waste or recycling bin liquids |
Doing our share in resource recovery efforts
Did you know that according to the National Waste Report 2020, the resource recovery rate in Australia has maintained its upward trend in 2018-19? During the period, resource recovery improved to 63 per cent from 61 per cent in 2016-17 and 50 per cent in 2006-07.
SA was the highest-ranked jurisdiction with 85 per cent; Qld and Tas ranked fifth with 45 per cent. Moreover, Queensland managed to divert 5.4 Mt of waste materials by recycling 350,000 tonnes of household and business wastes.
You can do your share in helping Brisbane and Queensland become cleaner and greener by donating your useable items to any charitable institutions or not-for-profit organisations that can reuse or recycle them. Organisations including GIVIT, Charitable Recycling Australia and the Council’s treasure troves would be happy to accept them.
Council reminders
Help speed up the collection process and allow better chances of recycling by sorting your items into separate piles. And whilst you do that, remember to keep the footpath or roadway clear and safe by keeping your pile of rubbish tidy on the kerb and do not leave sharp or dangerous objects on the footpath.
As another safety measure, refrigerator and cupboard doors should be removed since there is always that possibility of a living creature or a child getting trapped inside.
Also, only put items for the collection that can be lifted easily and safely by two people. Note that Council will not collect piles larger than two cubic metres which are about equal to a small box trailer load.
Kerbside rubbish foragers best practices
Kerbside collection offers opportunities for scavengers to turn someone else’s bulk rubbish into treasure. Whilst nothing is stopping anyone from browsing through the items left on the kerb, certain etiquette must be observed to make hunting less stressful to both the forager and the homeowner.
As a courtesy, try to seek permission from the homeowner first whilst being respectful of their time and privacy at the same time. Avoid asking a barrage of questions about the item or if they have anything more to discard for you.
And for everyone’s safety, try not to break anything whilst you rummage through the pile. This is especially true for those with parts made of glass. And more than likely, these broken items will not be picked up by the Council, leaving the homeowner to clean up after you.
If you chance upon a furniture set, don’t just take one or two of its pieces, such as a chair, but take the entire set instead. Otherwise, leave it and let someone else find a new purpose for it.
Lastly, tidy up before you leave. and return the items you don’t need exactly where you found them. Happy “treasure” hunting!
