Know which bin it belongs in

Know Before You Throw

Know how to
sort and recycle right.

Managing waste and recycling at home can be confusing. Knowing which bin it belongs in, and what to do with items that do not belong in either, helps keep valuable materials out of landfill and protects our recycling system.

Small choices at home can make a big difference for Cairns.

What goes in each bin Better options beyond the bin
Resident sorting waste and recycling at home

What goes in each bin

Use your yellow lid bin for accepted recycling and your red lid bin for general waste that cannot be recycled.

Know what belongs in yellow

  • Steel and aluminium cans
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Clean paper and cardboard
  • Hard plastic bottles and containers

Know what belongs in red

  • Food scraps
  • Soft plastics and foam
  • Broken household items
  • Disposable items
  • Keep recycling out of waste

Know the simple checks

These quick checks help reduce contamination and give recycling the best chance of being recovered.

Resident sorting plastic recycling

Know your plastics

  • Soft plastics? Hard no.
  • No plastic bags in recycling
  • Hard plastics only in yellow
Resident checking a small recycling item before placing it in the bin

Know small is out

  • Nothing smaller than a credit card
  • Lids jam the system
  • Tiny items cause big problems
Resident checking whether a pizza box is clean enough to recycle

Know clean matters

  • Empty. Rinse. Recycle.
  • Too greasy goes in red
  • Food ruins recycling
  • Clean recycling keeps the system working
Resident keeping recycling loose and unbagged

Know not to bag it

  • Keep it loose
  • Loose recycling sorts better
  • Plastic bags belong in red
Resident holding a household battery away from the bin

Know the danger

  • Batteries cause fires
  • Never bin a battery
  • Free battery drop-off locations available
Resident checking hazardous household items before disposal

Know the hazard

  • No Batteries
  • No Gas bottles
  • No Paint and chemicals
  • No Wires, hoses and building waste
Keep hazardous items out of both yellow and red lid bins. They can be dropped off at your closest Transfer Station.

Better options beyond the bin

Some items should be reused, repaired, donated, composted or dropped off instead of going straight in the bin.

Compost it

Compost food scraps and garden waste where possible.

Repair it

Repair household items and toys to extend their life.

Reuse it

Choose reusable items and reduce disposable waste.

Donate it

Donate items that are still in good condition.

Reduce it

Buy only what you need and avoid unnecessary packaging.

Drop it, don’t bin it

Take batteries and hazardous items to approved drop-off locations.

Need help sorting your waste?

Check an item before you throw it to find out what goes where.

Check an item What goes in each bin Where does your waste go

Last Updated: 8 July 2026

Latest News > All News

King tides expected in Cairns from Saturday image

King tides expected in Cairns from Saturday

King tides are expected to affect Cairns this week, starting from Saturday 8 to Friday 14 August....

Disaster Preparedness & Recovery
5 August 2026
Grab a bargain at this year’s Trash to Treasure image

Grab a bargain at this year’s Trash to Treasure

Want to give old items a second life, learn new skills, snap up a bargain or simply enjoy a free...

General Updates
5 August 2026
Council highlights advocacy wins image

Council highlights advocacy wins

Hundreds of millions of dollars for housing, water security and major infrastructure are among the significant advocacy outcomes secured for...

Business & Economy
31 July 2026