Food waste recycling service

Food waste

• fruit and vegetable scraps
• leftover food scraps (cooked and uncooked), excluding meat, bones, dairy and seafood
• takeaway food
• tea leaves, tea bags, coffee grounds
• eggshells
• mouldy bread, cereal, pasta, rice, grains

Garden waste

• grass clippings 
• small garden prunings from shrubs and trees (offcuts, roots, tubers)
• palm fronds, twigs, small branches, leaves
• flowers and foliage
• weeds, including ivy, creepers and vines

Food waste

• dairy products (yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, all milk types)
• meat products (bones, red and white meat)
• seafood

Garden material

• branches too big to fit in the bin
• garden tools, hoses, gloves, fuel, oil, cans, plastic plant pots
• logs or stumps wider than 10 centimetres
• rocks and stones

Other items

• bamboo products
• cardboard
• cat litter
• cigarette butts
• clothing and other fabric
• coffee pods and capsules
• compostable packaging
• cooking oil
• food in containers (empty food out of containers)
• fruit and vegetable stickers
• glass
• hair
• kitty litter
• metal (e.g. cans, kitchen appliances, pots, pans)
• nappies and wipes (including compostable types)
• paper types (all types - e.g. paper towel, tissues, deli paper, newspaper)
• plastic  (all types - e.g. plastic bags, compostable bags, wrappers, containers)
• polystyrene (e.g. black trays used for meat, fruit and vegetables)
• rubber
• soft plastics (e.g. bags and food packaging)
• tape, ties, rubber bands
• timber (all types - e.g. floorboards, wooden offcuts)
• vacuum bag contents

Food waste has significant impacts on our limited landfill, natural resources, the economy and our environment. When food waste is collected and processed through this new service, it's transformed into valuable compost that is used in urban gardens, farms and public spaces. This targeted service will assist Council to tailor our city's future waste and resource recovery systems and infrastructure to best support our communities to divert food waste from landfill.

Eight existing green waste collection routes have been selected.

If you have an existing green waste recycling service, and you live in any of the below suburbs, you may be included in the service. Download your suburb's map to see if your street is included.

Brisbane north

• Collection route one map (PDF - 328kb) - includes parts of Herston, Kelvin Grove and Windsor
• Collection route two map (PDF - 285kb) - includes parts of Alderley, Enoggera, Grange and Stafford
• Collection route three map (PDF - 292kb) - includes parts of Clayfield, Hendra, Kalinga, Wavell Heights and Wooloowin
• Collection route four map (PDF - 285kb) - includes parts of Chermside, Geebung and Wavell Heights

Brisbane south

• Collection route one map (PDF - 296kb) - includes parts of Acacia Ridge, Archerfield and Willawong
• Collection route two map (PDF - 284kb) - includes parts of Holland Park, Mount Gravatt and Mount Gravatt East
• Collection route three map (PDF - 281kb) - includes parts of Chelmer and Graceville
• Collection route four map (PDF - 300kb) - includes parts of Annerley, Greenslopes, Dutton Park, Fairfield, Highgate Hill, Stones Corner and Woolloongabba

A total of around 6000 households are included in the food waste recycling service.

The service started in March 2022. All households in the selected areas are encouraged to place their food scraps (excluding meat and dairy) in their green bin. 

It's important to put your bin out on your green bin collection day. Download the Brisbane bin and recycling app to check your bin day.

The food waste recycling service is ongoing. Future infrastructure requirements are being planned in preparation for a city-wide rollout of the service. Expansion of the service will occur in stages and residents will be informed in advance of these changes.

In the meantime, if you are within the selected areas you can continue placing your food scraps in your green bin. If you are not in the selected area, you can take action by:

• Reducing food waste - learn how to reduce food waste with the Love Food Hate Waste program  
• Compost rebate program - claim a $70 rebate for eligible composting equipment  
• Community composting - donate food scraps to a local Community Composting Hub, or find a neighbour who accepts food waste at ShareWaste  
• Compost training - register your interest in a Master Composter Course and compost workshops throughout the year.

You will be helping to reduce food and garden waste going to landfill where it produces greenhouse gases. Your food waste will also be turned into valuable compost that will be used on farms, gardens, and in public spaces.

Every little bit of food scrap that you recycle helps. 

No, it's free to participate. Your existing green waste recycling service will continue to be included on your property rates notice

• Keep it on your kitchen bench, under the sink, or in the fridge or freezer to prevent odour and fruit flies.
• If the caddy supplied by Council doesn't work for your household, use an existing container.
• Freeze smelly food scraps until bin collection day. 
• Do not place meat or dairy in the caddy.
• When you are not using your caddy, lift the handle so it locks the lid in place to prevent fruit flies.
• Place a fly food cover net over your caddy.
• Place a cup of apple cider vinegar beside your caddy to capture fruit flies. You will need to cover the top with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in it.
• Sprinkle vinegar, bi-carb soda, charcoal, or eucalyptus oil in the caddy and green waste bin to absorb and dissipate odours.
• Empty the caddy in your green waste bin every one to three days and rinse after every use.
• Put your caddy in the dishwasher or use kitchen soap for a thorough clean each week.

Read our Top tips to choose and use a kitchen caddy for recycling blog for more information.

• Put your bin out for collection each fortnight.
• Cover food waste with garden cuttings in your green waste recycling bin.
• Keep the lid of your green bin closed tightly to help keep vermin and maggots from getting in. Don't overfill the bin.
• Keep the bin in the shade, if possible.
• If needed, hose your bin out after it has been collected.