Waste services and clean up - February 2022 severe weather event
Brisbane City Council is helping support Brisbane residents to clean up and safely dispose of household flood-related waste. Residents can access services for free, including free resource recovery trips, food waste drop-off, and kerbside collection.
Resource recovery centres
All resource recovery centres are open and accessible to the public. Residents and businesses can take flood and rain damaged goods (as a result of river, creek, overland flow flooding and rain) to their closest resource recovery centre free of charge. Free visits include commercial customers with commercial or residential flood waste, as well as residents with flood waste. Normal charges apply for commercial and residential customers with non-flood related waste.
Extended operating hours are in place for Willawong and Nudgee Resource Recovery Centres to assist with flood waste-related items drop off. These centres will be open from 6.30am-9pm daily. These centres are experiencing significant demand and patience is requested as we help our city recover.
| Location | Opening hours | Vehicle sizes accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Chandler | 6.30am-5.45pm | Under 2 x axle and less than 4.5 tonnes CGVM |
| Ferny Grove | 6.30am-5.45pm | Under 2 x axle and less than 4.5 tonnes CGVM |
| Nudgee | 6.30am-9pm | Any vehicle |
| Willawong | 6.30am-9pm | Any vehicle |
To allow us to process the high volume of waste being dropped off at our sites, we are currently working on a 24/7 basis. We apologise in advance to residents who may experience noise or traffic throughout this period. Note - you can only visit our site during the public opening hours in the above table.
Ferny Grove and Chandler Resource Recovery Centres can only receive vehicles with a combined gross vehicle mass (CGVM) under 4.5 tonnes. Weight is measured via the weighbridge upon entering the resource recovery centre. For vehicles with a CGVM over 4.5 tonnes, please visit our Willawong or Nudgee Resource Recovery Centres only.
Please note trucks over two axles in size cannot be accepted at Chandler and Ferny Grove resource recovery centres due to access constraints.
Disposal of sandbags
Sandbags should not be put out for kerbside collection. You can:
Sandbags that have come into contact with floodwaters can be disposed of at any one of Council’s four resource recovery centres.
Sandbags that have come into contact with oil or other contaminants can be disposed of at our Willawong or Nudgee resource recovery centres. Please notify staff at the gate if you have contaminated sandbags so they can be disposed of safely.
Household hazardous waste disposal
It is important to dispose of hazardous waste safely. This can include bleach, garden and pool chemicals, and cleaning solvents purchased from supermarkets and hardware stores.
Council has created safe disposal sites at our Nudgee and Willawong Resource Recovery Centres and requests that all hazardous items be taken to these sites.
Flood-affected kerbside collection service
The kerbside large item collection service's regular scheduled calendar has been postponed as Council prioritises flood and rain damaged goods as a result of river, creek and overland flow flooding and rain. The service will recommence on 28 March 2022.
Households can leave flood-affected material on the footpath for Council contractors to remove.
Waste services
All general waste, recycling and green waste services are fully operational and residents should continue to present their bins to the kerb for collection.
For those residents in flood-affected streets and suburbs, please ensure your bin is presented in an accessible location for Council’s waste collection vehicles. In the event your bin is not collected, please contact Council on 3403 8888 to log a missed bin request.
Affected residents from missed services can also take their general waste, recycling and green waste to their nearest resource recovery centre, free of charge.
Due to the ongoing access issues, residents in Bennett Road, Ashgrove who had a missed service on Monday 28 February will be serviced on Tuesday 8 March (instead of Monday 7 March). Note - unfortunately, this Tuesday's collection in Bennett Road will only be for general waste and no recycling collection will take place.
Suburban food waste drop zones
Emergency food waste bins have been strategically placed across affected areas in Brisbane.
The temporary orange and red top bins will accept any spoiled food from households impacted by the flood and loss of power.
Food waste bins will be pods of 360-litre bins and will be signed to indicate 'food waste only' drop off. They will be monitored and collected by Council contractors on a daily basis.
Locations may change based on accessibility and frequency of use and their purpose is for emergency food waste only.
Other waste services
Delivery of new bins to those who require them will be prioritised to ensure residents have somewhere to dispose of their rubbish, with repair requests following (if time permits). Report a missing bin.
The food waste recycling service pilot is proceeding as planned.
Most of Council’s community composting hubs are open. Seven are temporarily closed due to significant damage, including:
