Ever wondered what belongs in what bin?

With Recycle Mate, Cairns residents can easily search over 5,000 everyday items to determine the proper way to dispose of them. Use our local sorting guide below to see what belongs in your yellow-lid bin and find convenient drop-off locations for items that can be taken to Council Waste Transfer Stations, product stewardship programs, and charities. Let's work together to keep Cairns clean and green by Recycling Right.

Explore the online tool below to get started and make recycling simple, you can also download the free Recycle Mate App for IOS and Android devices.

Want to find out more? Try our Recycle Mate Chat Bot.

Got more questions or need specific information? If you're still unsure, just ask - whether in English or another language! Whether you're curious about what happens to waste and recycling after collection or why we don't want plastic bags in recycling bins our new Chatbot can help you find the answers you need 24 hours a day 7 days.

Download the Recycle Mate app directly to your device, available now from Google Play & App Store.

Download the My Cairns app from Google Play

Download the My Cairns app from the App Store

Recycle Mate Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: 8 July 2026

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