For after hours urgent public health matters including environmental health, radiation safety, food poisoning and communicable disease management phone:
Strata and building management of multi-unit developments
Strata and building management are responsible for managing shared waste facilities in multi-unit developments. This includes modifying collection services, requesting a bulky waste collection or reporting a broken bin.
The aim of the Waste Act is to maximise recycling and reuse and minimise waste. It also aims to encourage investment, innovation and best practice in the ACT waste industry.
Businesses that transport waste within, into or out of the ACT must hold a Waste Transporter Registration. To apply visit the Waste facilities and transporters portal.
Operating a waste facility or transporting waste in the ACT without a licence or registration can result in significant penalties.
If you provide a service relating to the handling of waste, including the transport or storage of waste which is not generated by your business, it is likely that you will need a Waste Facility Licence or Waste Transporter Registration.
Businesses in the ACT that provide services such as storing, recycling or recovering waste are considered a waste facility and require a Waste Facility Licence.
Businesses that provide services relating to transporting waste from demolition or construction sites, or commercial or residential properties require a Waste Transporter Registration.
Businesses that provide other services in addition to waste handling are still required to be licenced or registered in the ACT. If you are unsure if you are a waste management business, please contact TCCS NoWaste Waste Regulation for advice.
Licensed waste facilities are required to report their waste activities to the ACT Government on a quarterly basis. You can complete waste activity reports online via the Waste facilities and transporters portal.
All reference materials for the waste facilities and transporters portal can be found below.
If you have any queries about the waste activity reporting program, email the Regulatory Reporting team at TCCS.NWWasteReporting@act.gov.au.
These documents provide information about the general principles for compliance and enforcement activities undertaken by Waste Regulation to support the ACT Government’s waste management and resource recovery objectives.
The resource management centres at Mitchell and Mugga Lane accept household quantities of recycling and waste. Commercial quantities of waste may have different disposal requirements.
Commercial operators may drop off paint (limits apply) and scrap metal (no limit) for free at resource management centres. Loads which exceed quantity limits may be turned away or charged at commercial rates.
Visit the forms and fees page for current pricing and ACT NoWaste commercial waste credit account information.
For instructions on how to manage hazardous waste, controlled waste, contaminated waste, scheduled waste and clinical waste see the Access Canberra website.
Some single-use plastic items are banned in the ACT. Businesses, organisations and community groups can't supply banned items and there are penalties if they do. For information on banned items and exemptions see single-use plastics.
Circular economy
In 2023 the ACT Government passed the Circular Economy Act 2023 which would have required all businesses that generate waste to have a co-mingled recycling collection system and all businesses that generate food waste to develop a food waste reduction plan. Additionally, it was proposed that food businesses would be required to have a collection for food waste. Consultation and workshops with industry and business on the draft regulations occurred in 2023.
The ACT Government has postponed the introduction of these requirements to provide business more time to plan and adjust to the new legislation. Information on how these recycling and food waste recovery requirements can be practically implemented by businesses will be made available in the future along with providing an appropriate lead-in time to allow businesses to prepare.
Sustainable Business Program
The Sustainable Business Program offers support and resources for businesses in reducing waste, increasing efficiency and using zero emission vehicles.
