Upsized bins to capture more recyclables

Published on 18 June 2026

Noosa residents are set to receive larger recycling bins following today’s $1.4 million Queensland Government funding announcement.

Council will roll out 360-litre recycling bins as part of its waste strategy, developed with the community in 2023, to increase recycling and reduce landfill.

Mayor Frank Wilkie welcomed the funding and said this will help residents recycle more and avoid overflowing recycle bins.

“This significant grant from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation’s Resource Recovery Boost Fund helps us deliver our waste strategy and supports the state’s recycling and waste diversion targets,” he said.

Council data shows more than half of the 240-litre household recycling bins emptied each fortnight are full or overflowing. As a result, extra recyclables often end up in general waste bins.

Council’s Waste and Resource and Recovery Manager Kyrone Dodd said too many recyclable items still go to landfill.

“Almost 20% of our general waste still contains recyclable material,” Mr Dodd said.

“Landfill space is limited, so the more we can recycle, the longer we can make it last. These larger bins will make it easier for households to recycle more.”

Council expects the larger bins to divert an extra 975 tonnes of recyclable material from landfill each year.

“This initiative is also expected to deliver long-term savings for ratepayers. It costs more than double to manage a tonne of general waste in landfill compared to recycling, so the more we can move out of the red bin and into the recycling bin, the more we can reduce those costs over time.”

“We will repurpose the existing bins within the collection system, so they won’t become waste themselves,” Mr Dodd said.

Local resident Robert McNamara said his household often fills its recycling bin before collection day.

“The added capacity of the new bin will help ensure we’re recycling every bottle, can, piece of cardboard and paper that we possibly can,” Rob said.

In a second grant funding boost from the state, Council has also received $2.18 million toward a new covered waste sorting facility at the Eumundi Noosa Road Resource Recovery Centre.

“This will dramatically improve our capacity to sort construction, business and skip bin waste to ensure we’re recycling as much material as we can, further reducing waste sent to landfill,” Mr Dodd said.

With grant funding now secured, planning and procurement of the new bins will get underway. Council expects to begin rolling out the new bins within the next 12 months.

Residents will be provided with more information about the rollout and available options as planning progresses.

Noosa Council Waste and Resource and Recovery Manager Kyrone Dodd on the new 360-litre recycling bins: