Reduce, Reuse, Recycle First
Any items collected by Council at your Bulky Goods Clean Up will be compacted, crushed and sent to landfill so the collection should be a last resort.
Reduce: Help reduce waste going to landfill by buying only what you need and what will last. Find out from our Buy Sell Online workshops where to buy quality second hand items that sell at a reasonable price or even offer them for free.
Reuse: If you have any bulky goods that you no longer require consider giving away or selling the item. Hold a Garage Sale and we will advertise your sale on the Council website free of charge, try selling or donating online or contact a local charity group.
Recycle: If your item is not good enough for reuse it may be recyclable. Check out Council's A to Z Guide to Recycling, Reuse and Disposal
Two free household collections
Bulky items that cannot be reused or recycled can be disposed of through Council's bulky goods clean up collections (also called council clean up, household clean up or kerbside pickup/clean up). Remember these clean ups are for bulky goods only. Small items are easily scattered and should be placed in your red lidded garbage bin.
If you live in the Northern Beaches Council area, you can pre-book two collections within 12 months (subject to availability). This service is only available to mainland households that incur the domestic waste management charge. (Western Foreshore and Scotland Island residents are entitled to two scheduled clean up services per year. Please check your waste calendar for scheduled clean up dates.)
The 12 month period commences from the date of your first booking. Please note, this service is not available during the last week of December and first week of January and longer wait times may be experienced over the summer holidays due to peak demand.
A booking must be made before materials are left out for collection.
Not all items are accepted under the collection service. A list of unacceptable items is outlined in the Conditions of Service which you must agree to before a booking can be accepted. A guide of what we can and can’t collect can also be found below.
Multi-unit dwellings have the choice of either:
- Booking two collection services each year for the whole block, or
- Allowing unit occupiers to book individual collection services
The Strata Manager or Body Corporate needs to make a written request to Council which of the two options above has been selected.
What we can collect
- Maximum 3 cubic metres, similar to a small box trailer
- Furniture
- Mattresses and bed bases
- Non-recyclable household items
- Up to 12 fence palings
- Rolled and tied up carpets up to 1.8m long (max 3 rolls)
- Empty hot water systems
- Whitegoods – with doors removed
- Up to three sheets of metal roofing - maximum size 1m x 1.5m
- Metal
- Empty beanbags. Put the polystyrene beads in a strong plastic bag, expel the air, seal and place in the red lidded bin
- Small items (must be larger than a toaster) should be placed out in unwanted bins/crates/boxes or neatly stacked for collection. Crates/tubs placed out cannot be returned.
Unacceptable Items
- Items over 1.8m long
- Heavy items that can’t be safely moved by two people
- Liquid or business waste
- E-waste, specifically TVs, computers
- Car parts, tyres, oils
- Sheet glass, mirrors, windows, glass tables
- Building material, including insulation, brick, rubble, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, asbestos
- Hazardous waste, including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, gas bottles, chemicals, paint, car batteries
- Vegetation, recyclable material, household garbage
- Polystyrene beads, put these in a strong plastic bag, expel the air and seal. Place the bag in the red lidded bin
- Small items like knives, forks and spoons. (Nothing smaller than a toaster)
Use all the recycling resources available to you
You could reduce the items going to landfill by holding a garage sale before your collection. Or give items to a charity or a friend. Use our A to Z guide to work out where you can recycle a whole heap of different things.
Check out other ideas and resources on the Northern Beaches to help you recycle and reduce waste:
Further enquiries
If you have any issues please call Waste Services on 1300 434 434.
Western Foreshore and Scotland Island
Western Foreshore and Scotland Island residents have two scheduled clean up services per year. Please check your waste calendar for scheduled clean up dates.
