Bin items
Different items are put in the general rubbish bin and recycle bin.
General rubbish bin (grey/green lid)
Don't put these items in your grey/green lid general rubbish bin:
- no bricks, rocks, soil or concrete
- no large metal objects
- no building materials
- no liquids – paints, motor oil or solvents
- no toxic or corrosive substances
- no mercury lamps
- no loose needles and syringes - these can go in the bin if placed in a rigid walled puncture resistant container and sealed
One fluorescent tube may be disposed of in the refuse bin. The tube is to be wrapped tightly in newspaper or in the original box and placed in the refuse bin ensuring the lid is closed. Do not place these tubes in your recycling bin.
Bulk quantities are to be taken to your nearest transfer station.
Recycling bin (yellow lid)
Put these items in your yellow lid recycling bin:
Paper
- newspaper, office paper, envelopes and magazines
- phone books
- brochures and junk mail
- wrapping and packaging paper
- greeting cards
- glossy paper
- coloured paper
- paper bags
Cardboard
- cardboard boxes
- cereal and washing powder boxes
- milk, juice cartons and tetra packs
- pizza boxes
- tissue boxes
Glass
- glass bottles and jars
Metal
- steel cans, empty aerosols, aluminium cans and trays
- empty paint tins
Plastic
- plastic bottles and contaners (including milk, juice, soft drink, yoghurt, margarine, shampoo and detergent containers) - remove lids and recycle them separately
- plastic numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6
Don't put these items in the yellow lid recycling bin
- waxed paper or waxed cardboard
- padded envelopes
- tissue paper, thermal fax paper
- china, crockery, ceramics
- drinking glasses, light bulbs
- mirror glass, window glass
- heat proof cookware, pyrex
- alfoil, wire, cutlery
- gas bottles, white goods
- plastic bags or wraps, plastic film
- bubble wrap
- polystyrene cups and trays
- elastic bands, straws
- dirty nappies
- bricks, wood soil and garden or hazardous waste
- food scraps, including oils
- needles and syringes - these can go in the general rubbish bin if placed in a rigid walled puncture resistant container and sealed
When it comes to recycling, if you're in doubt, then leave it out.
Please don't place recycables in a plastic bag or bin liner - it prevents them being sorted and they go to land fill.
Recycling booklet
If you want to learn more about how easy it is to recycle in Brisbane download 
A guide to recycling in Brisbane 
(PDF - 697kb).
You can download the latest version of Adobe Reader 
for free.
