What can go in your bin
Sorting your rubbish into the right bin helps make sure that rubbish can be recycled, composted, or sent to landfill properly.
On this page: Kerbside bins / Other items
Kerbside bins
General waste (red lid)
General waste is rubbish that cannot be recycled or composted, and is sent to landfill.
- Bubble wrap
- Cigarette butts and ash
- Cleaning sponges, cloths and rags
- Clothing, footwear and textiles that can’t be donated
- Polystyrene foam
- Glass and crockery that is broken (wrapped)
- Kitty litter
- Nappies
- Plastic items that can’t be recycled
- Sanitary products
- String, ropes and twine
- Vacuum cleaner dust
- Waxed paper
- Batteries or acid
- Building materials, dirt, or rocks
- Car parts
- Chemicals
- Electronics
- Hard/heavy materials like bricks
- Hazardous and medical waste and sharps
- Hot ash
- Liquids
- Medicine
- Oils
- Paint
- Poisons
- Timber
- X-rays
Recycling (yellow lid)
Recyclable rubbish, like paper and some plastic, can be sorted and reprocessed into other materials.
- Paper and cardboard
- Milk and juice cartons
- Magazines, newspapers, and catalogues
- Glass bottles and jars (not broken)
- Aluminium cans and foil
- Empty tin cans and aerosol cans
- Rigid plastic bottles and containers from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry
- Fruit punnets
- Batteries
- Car parts or gas bottles
- Cling film/wrap
- Clothing, footwear, or textiles
- Crockery, Pyrex and ceramics
- Electronic waste
- Fabric or clothing
- Foam
- Food scraps
- Garden waste or tools
- Mirrors, light globes tubes
- Plastic bags
- Soft plastics
- Window or drinking glasses
Organic waste (green lid)
Organic (or green) waste can be composted.
- Compostable food containers and cutlery
- Food scraps including fruit and vegetables, dairy, cooked or raw meat and seafood, egg, bones and oyster shells
- Hair
- Items labelled compostable AS4736 or AS5810
- Leaves, small pruning’s, lawn clippings, cut flowers and garden waste
- Manure and pet droppings
- Pizza boxes
- Shredded paper
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Tissues and paper towels
- Weeds
- Batteries
- Can or metals
- Cigarette butts or ash
- Electronics
- Glass or ceramics
- Household rubbish
- Liquids
- Oil
- Plastics including plastic bags
- Soil, rocks and bricks
- Wire
Other items
Have a tricky piece of rubbish that you’re not sure what to do with? Visit Which Bin SA or our Resource Recovery Centre.
Last updated 7 September 2026