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Residents

What happens to our waste?

Have you ever wondered what happens to your waste after the rubbish truck drives away?

Every year, thousands of tonnes of waste and recycling are collected from Campbelltown City Council households. Once collected, each material type follows a different pathway. Some items become new products, some become compost, and others are sent to landfill.

Learn what happens to your waste and how you can help recover more valuable resources.

Yellow recycling bin

Recycling waste collected from Campbelltown households is sent to the Southern Region Waste Resource Authority (SRWRA) Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

At the facility, advanced sorting equipment separates paper, cardboard, steel, aluminium, glass and plastic containers. These materials are then sold to manufacturers and recycled into new products.

Recycling only works when materials are placed in the correct bin and are free from contamination.

Recycling tips

  • Keep plastic lids attached to plastic bottles.
  • Do not place soft plastics in the recycling bin.
  • Empty and rinse containers.
  • Small items should be at least the size of an adult fist to be sorted effectively.
  • Steel lids can be placed inside a steel can and squeezed shut.

Learn more

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Green organics (FOGO) bin

The contents of your green organics bin are collected and transported to a commercial composting facility operated by Integrated Waste Services (IWS).

Food scraps, garden clippings, certified compostable food packaging, compostable bags, shredded paper, pet waste and other accepted organic materials are processed into compost and soil products that are used in agriculture and landscaping.  This is also called the Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) stream.

Commercial composting facilities reach temperatures much higher than backyard compost systems, allowing a wider range of organic materials to break down safely and efficiently.

Unfortunately, plastic contamination is still common. To produce a high-quality compost product, the material must be screened and contaminants removed after processing.

For more information on the disposal of food waste, visit our Food waste recycling page.

Tips for the FOGO bin

  • Collect a free kitchen caddy and compostable bag roll from Council to make collecting food scraps in the kitchen easy and convenient.
  • Put all food scraps in the green bin, including fruit and vegetable peelings, meat, bones, seafood, dairy products, bread, rice and leftovers.
  • Store your bin in a shaded area where possible to help keep it cool and reduce smells.

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Blue landfill bin

The landfill bin is for items that cannot be reused, recycled or composted through available services – this is also called the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) stream. These items are sent to landfill, where they are buried.

Landfill should be the last option, so residents are encouraged to use the recycling bin, green organics bin, buy nothing groups, hard waste service, local recyclers and product stewardship drop-off options where available.

Items placed in the landfill bin are transported to an Integrated Waste Services (IWS) landfill facility. Landfill is the last option in the waste hierarchy, but some materials and energy can still be recovered.

The less food and garden material placed in landfill, the better. That's why using your FOGO bin correctly is one of the most important actions residents can take.

Learn more

Hard Waste

Council’s hard waste service helps residents dispose of larger household items that do not fit in the kerbside bins. Items collected through hard waste may be sorted, recycled or disposed of depending on the material, condition and available recycling options. Some items, such as metals and mattresses, may be separated for recycling where possible.

Non-recyclable hard waste collected in the City of Campbelltown is taken to Suez ResourceCo, where it is turned into a fuel made from waste. This fuel is used by Adelaide Brighton Cement instead of some fossil fuels, helping reduce landfill and recover energy from waste.

More detailed information on this service can be found on the East Waste website.

Common recoverable materials include:

  • Metals
  • White goods
  • Mattresses
  • Timber

Items that cannot be recovered are disposed of appropriately.

Remember: Before booking a hard waste collection, consider whether items could be repaired, reused, donated or given away through local community groups.

Learn more