Book a hard waste collection

Before placing your hard waste on your nature strip for collection, there are some important rules you must abide by to make sure the collection can occur

If your hard waste collection doesn't comply, or it is not on the nature strip, you will receive a notice in your letterbox.

• Hard waste rules
• Items that can be collected 
• Items that won't be collected
• Eco-friendly alternatives

Important rules to remember

Remember when booking a hard waste or bundled branch collection:

• Place your hard waste items on the nature strip on the day you make your booking.
• A collection size limit of 4 cubic metres (2m x 2m x 1m) applies.
• Once a booking is made, the hard waste will be collected within 1–4 working days after booking.
• Items must be able to be lifted by 2 people.
• Prunings and branches should be less than 150mm in diameter, 1.8m in length and securely tied in bundles of up to 300mm diameter.
• If a collection was not booked, is non-compliant or not placed out in time, you will receive a notice in your letterbox.
• Properties can make 2 hard waste bookings per year and bookings must be made at least 6 weeks apart.

If you require more than two hard waste collections during a calendar year you can arrange collection directly with our contractor. Charges apply depending on the volume and type of items. Contact Total Waste Solutions on 9555 1970 to organise a quote.

Alternatively hard waste can be dropped off at the Waste and Recycling Centre at 144 Talinga Rd, Cheltenham. Charges apply.

Your hard waste is required to be split into neat piles consisting of:

• general hard waste (including scrap metal items)
• mattress and mattress bases (limit of two mattresses OR one mattress and base per booking)
• electronic waste (including televisions and computers)
• bundled branches (Christmas pine trees included, but only in January)

Items that will be collected 

• Metal up to 2m in length (e.g. sinks, tin, scrap iron, spouting).
• Household furniture and fittings. (e.g. chairs, couches, mattresses and wash basins).
• Household tools, equipment and mowers.
• Toys and sporting goods. (including dismantled playground equipment).
• Carpet and linoleum (must be rolled and tied, and no longer than 2m and limited to 1 cubic metre).
• Timber (no more than 10 pieces, must be neatly tied and not exceeding 2m in length).
• Household appliances and whitegoods (all household appliances and whitegoods; doors from fridges and freezers must be removed).
• Hot water services.
• Flattened cardboard boxes neatly piled. 

Bundled branches

• Prunings and branches less than 150mm in diameter and 1.8 metres in length, securely tied in bundles of up to 300mm diameter.

Items that won't be collected

General hard waste

• Items that are suitable for the household recycling bin. If the item is too large for the household recycling bin it can be taken to the Waste Transfer and Recycling Centre.
• Waste from industrial and commercial premises.
• Polystyrene.
• Waste from construction, renovation or demolition of domestic buildings.
• Wooden pallets.
• Bricks, concrete, stone, clay, fencing, sand or soil.
• Hazardous waste, including asbestos, paints, gas bottles, and chemicals.
• Tyres, large car body parts or batteries of any type.
• Unwrapped or broken glass.
• Timber exceeding 2m in length and/or more than 10 pieces.
• Synthetic (fake) grass.
• Any item longer than 2m and/or too heavy for two people to lift.

Bundled branches

• Bagged green waste, clippings, soft plants or weeds.
• Rose bushes or thorny plants, ivy, bamboo, creepers and palm trees.
• Timber, tree stumps or roots.
• Untied branches.

Have you placed a compliant hard waste collection on your nature strip?

Book a collection online

Environmentally-friendly alternatives to hard waste 

Consider some more eco-friendly choices for disposing of your hard waste. While e-waste, metals, tyres, tied green waste and mattresses are recovered and recycled, other items will unfortunately go to landfill. 

Give your items a second life by:  

• Use Sacred Heart Mission's Free Collections Service. Donating goods to Sacred Heart Mission helps raise funds to provide services to people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage and social isolation.
• Donating them to an op shop. Check out our handy list of local op shops.
• Check to see if any of your family, friends or neighbours could give any of your items a new home.
• Bicycles can be donated to Brain Wave Bikes who will recycle your bike and raise money for their charity Brain Wave, supporting families and children with brain injuries and illnesses. They accept bikes in any size or condition as long as the frame isn't cracked, bent, or extremely rusted. 
• Download the WasteNot app and post your items for free to give them another home through a contactless collection.
• Sell them or give them away by posting them to Facebook Marketplace, local buy/sell/swap Facebook groups, Ziilch, Streetbank or Gumtree.
• Hold a garage sale. Keep in mind current COVID restrictions on the number of visitors to your home.
• Take items to the Bayside Waste and Recycling Centre.
• Or check out our comprehensive A-Z Waste and Recycling Directory. 

While e-waste, metals, tyres, tied green waste and mattresses are recovered and recycled, other items will unfortunately go to landfill. Take advantage of sustainable alternatives to hard waste, this holiday period and beyond:

• Sacred Heart Mission's Free Collections Service.
• Donate to a local op shop.
• Sell on Facebook Marketplace, local buy/sell/swap Facebook groups, Ziilch, Streetbank or Gumtree.
• Download the WasteNot app and post your items for free to give them another home through a contactless collection.

Full list of hard waste alternatives