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Free bulky waste collection service
Canberra households are eligible for one free bulky waste collection of up to 2 cubic metres each financial year.
The bulky waste collection service is great for hard waste that is too big for your kerbside bins such as old furniture and broken appliances.
The service involves 2 bulky waste trucks that collect items – one for reusable items and one for landfill waste.
They may arrive at different times on the same day, which means your items may not be collected at the same time.
Bulky waste items
The collected items will be sorted and reused if possible.
Please see the list of accepted and not accepted items for a bulky waste collection.
Accepted items
- Furniture (excluding items with glass such as display cabinets)
- Children’s car seats and bulky toys
- Tools* including garden equipment*
- Timber up to 2 metres in length
- White goods and electrical items (batteries removed)*
- Metal products/scrap metal and hot water systems
- Televisions, computers and accessories*
- Blankets and linen
- Light fittings (light bulbs removed)
- Car parts*
- Camping and outdoor equipment (including bikes)
- Plant pots (including ceramic or terracotta)
- Mattresses and bed bases (limits and fees apply)
*any fuel and/or batteries must be removed. Items with embedded batteries are not accepted.
Not accepted
- More than 2 cubic metres of waste
- Any items over 2 metres in length
- Batteries and items with embedded batteries
- Hazardous waste
- Heavy items that can’t be safely moved by two people
- Household chemicals
- Glass products, sheet glass, mirrors and glass fish tanks
- Asbestos sheeting or products
- Gas bottles or fire extinguishers
- Soil or mixed fill material
- Tyres
- Sharps, needles or sharps containers
- Garden waste or food waste
- Building and construction materials
- Construction rubble and dust (including gyprock dust)
- Items with concrete attached
- Solar panels
- Light bulbs
- Liquids
- Commercial or business waste
- Recyclable items (including cans, bottles and large cardboard)
- General household rubbish
Bookings
Single residential households can use the bulky waste booking form to book a collection up to 6 months in advance. Bookings close 14 days before the collection date.
The form will check your eligibility, give you collection dates to choose from and ask what items you would like collected. Once your booking is confirmed, you’ll receive a reference number and confirmation email or text message.
Booking changes
You can make changes to your booking prior to 5 business days before collection by using the request service status form by entering your service request number, surname and postcode.
Booking cancellations
You may cancel your booking prior to 2 business days before collection by calling the ACT NoWaste Customer Service team on 02 6205 9521 or via email on NoWasteBins@act.gov.au. If you do not cancel in time, you will not be eligible for another free bulky waste collection within this financial year.
Prepare for a bulky waste collection
You must place your items at your property boundary, in an easily accessible spot visible from the roadside.
Items left in garages, trailers, behind open or closed gates or fences or under structures such as carports or verandas will not be collected.
If your property is a battle axe block, place your items at your property boundary where your bins are collected.
Place items out no more than 2 days before the scheduled collection date and no later than 7 am on the collection day. You do not need to be home for the collection.
Uncollected items
The service includes 2 bulky waste trucks that collect items – one for reusable items and one for landfill waste. They may arrive at different times on the same day, which means your items may not be collected at the same time.
If your items are not picked up on the specified collection day, please leave them out for collection the next day.
If your items are not collected, or there are issues with your collection service, please contact JJ’s Waste and Recycling on 02 6270 5070.
Items not acceptable for the bulky waste collection will not be collected and are your responsibility. A note will be placed in your mailbox if this occurs.
Illegal dumping fines may apply for items outside your property boundary. Report illegal dumping via Fix My Street or call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
Apartments and townhouses
If you live in an apartment or townhouse with shared waste facilities, please contact your strata or building manager to book a bulky waste collection on your behalf. Your strata or building manager will advise of the collection date and where to place your items within your complex.
If you are a strata manager, building manager or owners corporations of a multi-unit development with shared waste visit bulky waste collections for multi-unit development.
Related links
- Bulky waste booking form
- A-Z guide to recycling and waste
- Illegal dumping
- Fix my street
- Request service status form
- Bulky waste booking form for residents of apartments or townhouses (PDF 91.6 KB)
- Bulky waste collection form for building/strata managers of apartments or townhouses
- Forms and fees
Dimensions
Bulky waste collections are a maximum of 2 cubic metres.
Video
Contact us
To request a bulky waste collection over the phone call 6205 9521. For further enquiries relating to bulky waste email NoWasteBins@act.gov.au