Go Green: Extra green bin collections this November

Blue Mountains City Council will provide two extra green bin collections per household in November as a gesture of goodwill to the community following a difficult year.

The two extra green bin services in November are in addition to the usual once-a-fortnight green bin collection. So from Monday, 1 November to Friday, 26 November Council will collect the green bin every week throughout the Blue Mountains.

The red garbage bin will be collected weekly and the yellow recycling bin fortnightly, as normal.

Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill said: “Following a Mayoral Matter of Urgency I presented to the last Council meeting, we will provide extra green bin services this November.

“It’s been a challenging year for Blue Mountains residents, following further COVID-19 lockdowns and a community still in recovery from the 2019-2020 bushfires and major flooding in 2020. These extra green bin services will be provided as our residents get back into their gardens after winter and start looking ahead to summer.

“While we recommend residents prepare for the bushfire season all year round, we hope that these extra collections will remind people to use the green bin service in preparing their properties for this summer bushfire season.”

Council CEO Dr Rosemary Dillon said: “It’s important that Blue Mountains residents do not use the red household bins for their green waste. Using your green bin for garden vegetation keeps it out of landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and extending landfill life. 

“There are many other benefits for the environment to composting and using the green bins, including improving regional soil health by returning nutrients to the earth. We hope that by providing these two extra services in November, we will encourage residents to keep using their green bins all year round.”

Here’s a reminder to use your green bin for garden vegetation you can’t use, or compost at home, such as:

Grass clippings Weeds (including noxious weeds) Cut flowers Leaves Garden pruning Branches (max. length 40cm, diameter 10cm) Bark Palm fronds Sticks.

And a reminder of the items that CAN’T go in your green bin:

Food waste Plastic bags or bin liners Garbage Pots Soil Bricks Tree stumps Armillaria luteobubalina, known as the Australian honey fungus (and any other associated plant material) - This material must go in the garbage bin or to the sealed garbage area of the waste facility. This includes all tree parts, mulch and soil from gardens where it has been found.

For further information on waste services go to: bmcc.nsw.gov.au/our-household-waste-service or call the garden waste hotline 1300 769 746.