3 Bin Kerbside Recycling System
 

In July 2024 Hay Shire Council launched the 3 bin kerbside recycling collection to divert organics away from landfill. The new “3 bin” system allows food and garden waste to be collected from households. Households will have three separate 240-litre bins, with organics collected weekly, and recycling and general waste collected fortnightly.
 
 
 
 
The new waste system allows food and garden waste to be collected, as well as regular waste and recycling collections. The green lidded bin (FOGO) has been shown to reduce general waste by 50% in other areas.  Most household packaging such as aluminum and steel cans, paper and cardboard, formed plastics such as milk bottles can be added to your yellow lidded bin for recycling. With the new 3 bin system you'll have more space which means less waste that will end up in landfill which is better for our environment and our future.

The transition to the three-bin system is a big change for our community, so you're bound to have questions
See below of some frequently asked questions and if you can't find the answer you're looking for, you can reach out by contacting Council by email mail@hay.nsw.gov.au

What is the 3 bin waste system?
The 3 bin household waste system allows food and garden waste to be collected, as well as general waste and recycling. The three bins are:

• One 240L GREEN LID BIN for organics (garden and food waste)  
• One 240L YELLOW LID BIN for recycling 
• One 240L RED LID BIN for general waste 

What are the benefits of having 3 streams of waste collection?
Using three bins for kerbside collection allows us all to manage our waste more effectively.

It is part of an overall strategy by the NSW Government based around the concept of a circular economy, which works on the principle of using our resources more efficiently and making them more productive. We extend the lifeline of our products by reusing or recycling them.

This, in turn reduces the amount of waste going to landfill or ending up as litter. It ensures our waste does not become a problem for future generations to deal with and allows us to live sustainably in our beautiful natural environment.

Where does the 3 bin system operate?
The service is compulsory within the town of Hay, those outside the town area will not receive the service, however some population areas near the town boundry area can opted in if desired. If you wish to be included in the 3 Bin System, please contact Council's administration centre on ph 02 6990 1100, or email mail@hay.nsw.gov.au

When will the bins be collected ?
• WEEKLY collection of 240L organics bin (food organics and garden organics) - Green lid
• FORTNIGHTLY collection of 240L recycling bin – Yellow lid
• FORTNIGHTLY collection of 240L general waste bin – Red lid
The Red and Yellow lid bins operate on an alternate week cycle, as per the 2025 Collection Calendar

Will my garbage charges change ?
Every year your garbage charge increases slightly in line with inflation. Council has worked to make the service as convenient and cost effective as possible – kitchen caddy, compostable liners, calendar and all new bins are all supplied in the charge.

The Waste fees are listed with the 2024/2025 Fees and Charges document, click here to view 

What can be placed in my green lidded organics bin?
You can put in all your food scraps and garden waste in your green lidded bin. However, please DO NOT include things like plastic bin liners. See below for a list of DO’s and DON’T items or click here for a list of what can be placed in your What Goes in the Green Lid Bin

How do I sort food waste from my general household rubbish?
Each household received a kitchen tidy bin and compostable liners especially to hold food waste, these liners can then be placed in your new organics bin. Additional liners can be purchased at supermarkets, please check that liners are marked as compostable.
There are some great resources on the Halve Waste website that outline what can go in your Organics bin and what can go in your General Waste bin, as well as the Resources section at the bottom of this page 

Can I opt out? I already compost at home!
The new green lid organics bin can be seen as an extension to the great work you’re already doing. And, the new service can accept things that your compost heap or pet may not like – things such as citrus, onions, bones, weeds and diseased and infected fruit or vegetables.

As per Local Government Act 1993, Section 496;
(1) A Council must make and levy an annual charge for the provision of domestic waste management services for each parcel of rateable land for which the service is available.
(2) A Council may make an annual charge for the provision of a domestic waste management service for a parcel of land that is exempt from rating if;
(a) the service is available for that land; and
(b) the owner of that land requests or agrees to the provision of the service to that land; and
(c) the amount of the annual charge is limited to recovering the cost of providing the service to that land.

As a community we pay for many services as part of our rates that benefit the community, even if every individual resident may not utilise them. Reducing the pressure on landfill and generating a valuable resource for our region’s agricultural industries helps Council to reduce the cost of landfill space into the future.

There are additional resources on the Halve Waste website that can provide further information, including Already Composting Guide 

Bin Collection Guidelines
Hay Shire Council garbage truck drivers are servicing over 1,300 wheelie bins each week.
The following steps should be followed when placing bins out for collection:

• Bins should be placed on the kerbside the evening before your collection day
• Bins should be in clear view of the road with the handles facing away from the road
• Leave a space of between 50cm and 1 metre between the bins so that the collection truck doesn’t hit bins together and knock them over
• Do not overfill your bins. The lid must close properly
• Do not put extra bags or bundles near your bin as they will not be collected
• Ensure bins are clear of overhanging trees, mailboxes and parked vehicles
• Ensure your bins are not too heavy (they must weigh less than 80kgs for collection)
• Bins are allocated to each property. If you move, do not take the bins with you
• Remove your bins from the kerbside on the day of collection once they have been serviced

The Wheelie Bin tips sheet has 10 helpful tips for managing your Council Wheelie bins.

Recycle, Compost and Avoid Landfill
Many items can be recycled or turned into compost and most importantly, kept out of landfill. To help you make the most of the 3-bin system, refer to the handy lists below for which bin to use;

 

                                    
 
Sometimes waste items can be a bit weird or wacky or we call them by different names, if you can’t find an item in the above list, please submit your enquiry by email mail@hay.nsw.gov.au or make an enquiry at Councils office in Lachlan Street. The "What Goes" information sheets below have an A-Z list per bin type of What Goes Where.  

There is also and extensive range of information sheets available at Councils main office located at 134 Lachlan Street, Hay NSW 2711

New Waste Service

As you prepare to occupy your newly-built home, you will need to arrange a waste service for the property. An Occupation Certificate must be lodged with Hay Shire Council before bins will be issued. Bins cannot be delivered to a vacant house or block of land.
For most residents their new waste service will consist of:

• One 240 litre yellow lidded recycling bin collected fortnightly
• One 240 litre green lidded FOGO bin collected weekly
• One 240 litre red lid bin for general waste collected fortnightly
   

Businesses also have three kerbside bins as part of the new system. Business operators are able to change the configuration of each bin type or add extra bins to suit their business operations, but must still have three bins.
Only property owners can request a new waste service, if you rent the premises you will need to contact the managing agent or the owner to discuss this new service. To organise a new waste service, the owner or managing agent of the property needs to fill out the appropriate selection on the  Application for  Request for Additional Waste Collection Bins and submit to Council.

Additional bins can only be applied for by the owner of the property, additional bins will incur an additional charge per collection service as per Council’s Revenue Policy, the appropriate selection can be complted on the Application for  Request for Additional Waste Collection Bins and submitted to Council.

Council may request owners, business in Company names and Managing Agents to supply additional information to confirm that they are acting for the legal owners of the property.

If you are a resident, business or community group and want to know more about the 3 Bin Kerbside Recycling System please call the Council main office at Ph 02 6990 1100, or email mail@hay.nsw.gov.au




Resources 
2025 Collection Calendar

Recycling Tip - Green Waste
Recycling Tip - Wood and Timber
Recycling Tip - Squeezable tubes
3 Bin Information Sheet
Already Composting Guide
Wheelie Bin tips
Units and Flats
What Goes in the Red Lid Bin
What Goes in the Yellow Lid Bin
What Goes in the Green Lid Bin
Community Recycle Centres (CRC)






Links
Halve Waste
Do More Good – Halve Waste 
Making the Big Difference – Halve Waste