Business waste and recycling

Find what waste collection services your business can access, when your bins get collected and what to do for the single-use plastic ban.

Can I use Council's waste collection?

If you're running a business, you can use our Council waste collection or a private service. You can also use both at the same time.

If the waste your business produces doesn’t fit into Council bins or your bins need to be collected more frequently, you will need to hire a private collection.

If you choose only to use a private service, there will be no reduction to your rates. Council will still charge you a non-kerbside waste collection fee.

To start a new Council service, order a new bin or change an existing one, fill out our online form.

Request a new or different bin

What waste can my business put in Council bins?

For a list of what goes in each type of bin, head to our searchable waste and recycling guide.

As a business though, you may produce types of waste that cannot go into any Council bin. These include:

  • sharps
  • potentially infectious or hazardous waste
  • e-waste
  • old cooking oil
  • chemicals
  • large, bulky items.

When do my bins get collected?

If you use Council's waste collection service, the same rules apply for businesses as they do for residents. The collection days are the same, and it depends on your business location.

Council's standard waste service is: 

  • Weekly garbage collection – one small 120L bin with a dark green or red lid.
  • Fortnightly recycling collection – one large 240L bin with a blue or yellow lid. A property cannot have more than two recycling bins.

Businesses can also request a fortnightly food and green waste collection. This is an opt-in service, and you can choose either a 120L or 240L bin with a lime green lid.

Find my bin collection day

When you take out your bins for collection, make sure:

  • the bin is clean and sanitary
  • you put it out no earlier than 3 pm before collection day
  • it’s placed at the front of your property adjacent to the kerb
  • it isn’t in the way of footpath or road users
  • the bin and contents don’t weigh more than 60kg
  • the lid closes
  • there’s no waste spilled on the ground around the bin
  • they’re put back on your private property the same day as collection, or within 24 hours if the business is closed that day – bins cannot be stored on Council land
  • you don’t remove the bin from your property.

If you see a bin not following these rules, you can report a bin.

Hard waste collection for businesses

Council hard waste collection is available for commercial properties. There are two collections a year, in autumn and spring.

Commercial hard waste collection is different to residential because you must book through our contractor. This is to organise a specific location to leave your waste where they will collect it. 

Make sure you book your hard waste collection before the cut-off date. We'll make the booking details available about a month before the collection date.

Home-based businesses

If your business is set up on a residential property, you must use our Council waste collection service. You cannot use a private service.

If you are producing too much waste to fit into Council bins, it’s time for your business to move into a more suitable commercial property.

To find out about what this can involve, contact our Business Concierge.

Preparing for the single-use plastic ban

The Victorian Government has made a law to ban single-use plastics. This will start on 1 February 2023.

The six banned plastic items include:

  • drinking straws
  • cutlery
  • plates
  • drink stirrers
  • polystyrene food and drink containers
  • cotton bud sticks.

The ban includes these plastic items made from degradable and compostable materials, including bioplastics.

To prepare for the ban, we encourage businesses to:

  • run down stocks of banned items
  • avoid ordering any more banned items
  • switch to reusable items or choose alternative single-use items, such as those made from bamboo, wood or paper. 

Find out more on the ban including Stonnington’s Plastic Free Policy at plastic free ban.

Waste posters and stickers

Council provides free waste posters and stickers.

These can be placed in business waste areas so items are sorted into the right bin.

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