What Does the Waste Utility Charge Cover?
The waste utility charge on your rates notice covers much more than just kerbside bin collections. It funds a wide range of essential waste and recycling services that help keep our community clean, green, and sustainable. This includes the management of approximately 120,000 tonnes of waste, recyclables and garden organics each year, supporting:
- Waste, Recycling and Green Waste Collection kerbside collections
Council’s waste collection contractor lifts approximately 3.2 million waste bins, 1.6 million recycling bins, and more than 700,000 green waste bins annually. This massive effort is powered by a fleet of dedicated 15 waste, 5 recycling, and 3 green waste trucks, operated by a team of skilled drivers working five days a week, 52 weeks a year—including public holidays like Christmas when they fall on a weekday. Collections also extend to island communities with more than 600 vehicle barge trips completed every year. This operation consumes more than 630,000 litres of diesel each year generating 1,731 tonnes of CO2e.
- Landfill Costs and State Waste Levy Contributions
Around 57,000 tonnes of waste is sent to landfill each year, costing ratepayers an estimated $6.5 million in 2024-25. This includes the Queensland Government’s advanced payment offset and waste levy payments, which rises $10 per tonne each year through to 2031. By 2031 the waste levy alone will add an extra $8.6 million to Council’s operating budget or around $150 to every households annual rates bill based on current household waste behaviours.
- Operation of Recycling and Waste Centres
Council runs eight recycling and waste centres—two on the mainland and six on the islands—serving over 473,000 visitors each year. These centres operate 9.5 hours a day, 363 days a year and manage around 53,000 tonnes of domestic waste across 18 different waste streams, with over 70% of this material recycled. Waste streams managed at the Recycling and Waste Centres include general waste (landfill), co-mingled recycling, green waste, timber, bricks and concrete, scrap metal, cardboard, oils, batteries, e-waste, hazardous materials, asbestos, paint, and more. Over 35 contractor staff help operate these vital facilities. Redland City Council residents do not pay fees for non-commercial use of our Recycling and Waste Centres. To gain free access, you will need to provide proof of residency (i.e. ID which has photo and address). Commercial fees apply for non-residents or if disposing of commercial waste.
- Green waste management
Almost 31,000 tonnes of green waste is expected to be collected, transported and processed in 2025-26 – 9,200 tonnes collected from homes and 21,800 from Recycling and Waste Centres. This process keeps green waste out of landfill and turns this valuable material back into garden mulch and soil. However, there has been significant cost increases to process green waste as composters in South-East Queensland modernise their facilities to meet stricter environmental standards set by the Queensland Government.
- Kerbside Recycling Programs
More than 9,600 tonnes of kerbside recyclables are collected from Redlands Coast households every year and are taken to a Material Recovery Facility. This important program not only keeps recyclables out of landfill, but it also supports the circular economy as well as the supply chain as these materials are re-processed and turned back into other food and product packaging. However about 15% of materials placed in household yellow-lid bins is waste that should have been put into red-lid waste bins – this issue puts increasing cost pressures on recycling services.
- Community Support Services
Council provides a range of services to assist eligible residents and community groups, including bulky waste collections, in-home bin services for those unable to move their bins, and waste disposal subsidies for local organisations.
- Waste Collection from Parks and Council Facilities
Council maintains waste and recycling services across public parks and facilities on Redlands Coast. More than 68,000 public place bins and other council facility bins are collected every year, to keep public spaces clean and welcoming.
- Bin Servicing, Maintenance and Repairs
Each year, Council handles over 15,000 customer requests for repairs, replacements, and exchanges of almost 158,000 bins, ensuring your household waste services stay reliable and functional.
- Community Education and Clean-Up Programs
Council invests in community engagement and education initiatives to encourage waste reduction and better recycling. These include support for events like Clean Up Australia Day and sponsorship of the Eco Marines school program. Council is also leveraging external funding such as $483,000 in funds from the Queensland Government for the ‘Lets Get it Sorted Redlands Coast’ education and behaviour change initiative.
- Specialist Recycling and Sustainability Initiatives
Council also runs targeted programs beyond kerbside and waste centre services. These include hard-to-recycle drop-off stations at IndigiScapes, a compost bin subsidy program, and other initiatives that help reduce landfill and promote sustainable practices.
- Administrative Support
Behind the scenes, administrative teams ensure the effective coordination and management of all these essential services.
Your Contribution Matters
By paying the waste utility charge, you're helping to reduce landfill, increase recycling, and support a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Redlands Coast for everyone.
Commercial waste disposal
Redland City Council recycling and waste centres can accept some types of commercial waste however, in most instances, fees apply. Most commercial waste cannot be disposed of for free at Council's recycling and waste centres, even if you are a resident of Redland City.
Commercial waste is waste produced as a result of an organisation carrying out a business, including activities carried out at domestic premises under a commercial arrangement.
If you have been flagged and identified as disposing of commercial waste and would like to declare that you are not disposing of commercial waste, you will need to either:
- apply for vouchers to dispose of residential waste using a commercial vehicle; or
- dispute your commercial vehicle status and your request will be reviewed by Council.
Commercial vehicles flagged as commercial which are over 4.5T GVM cannot apply for vouchers or dispute their commercial vehicle status.
Application for vouchers or disputing your commercial status will need to be completed within two weeks following the date of the notice.
For a PDF copy of the online forms, see Waste Services Forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
You can still dispose of waste from your home using a commercial vehicle. However, you will need to apply for a Commercial vehicle waiver. If approved, you will be issued with vouchers which will allow eight visits a year for domestic waste disposal. To allow enough time for processing, your application must be completed within two weeks from date of the notice. Vouchers can only be used for disposing of your personal residential (domestic) waste. Commercial fees will continue to be payable for all commercial waste.
-
Once we receive your application, it will be assessed and if approved:
- Eight waivers will be issued
- Waivers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue
- No further waivers will be issued within the 12 month period
- Waivers must be surrendered to the Recycling and Waste Centre staff prior to disposal.
Please note that during this time, as we are reviewing your application, you may still attend our Recycling and Waste Centres. Each load is assessed of the waste type being disposed, if it is deemed as residential type waste by the gatehouse, they will let you through without a charge. This is valid until a decision has been made on your application. Terms and conditions apply. See application form / vouchers for a copy of the terms and conditions.
-
If you believe you have been incorrectly identified as disposing of commercial waste, you will need to complete the Disputing Commercial vehicle status form online. To allow enough time to review your application, this form must be completed within the two weeks from the date of this notice. Please note that during this time, as we are reviewing your application, you may still attend our Recycling and Waste Centres. Each load is assessed of the waste type being disposed, if it is deemed as residential type waste by the gatehouse, they will let you through without a charge. This is valid until a decision has been made on your application.
-
Commercial waste is both Commercial & Industrial (C&I) waste and Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste as defined in the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2023 (Schedule 13).
Commercial waste includes waste generated by a commercial or industrial activity carried out at a domestic premises under a commercial arrangement. Fees are applicable to the disposal of all commercial waste. Penalties may apply if false or misleading information is provided when delivering waste.
-
Indicators of commercial waste disposal are applied at the gatehouse or via audit and include (but are not limited to):
- Commercial vehicle registration status
- Vehicle signage
- Tools of trade
- Waste types consistent with commercial operation
- Frequency of visits
- Actual Gross Combined Vehicle Mass (GCVM) at the weighbridge > 4.5 tonne; and/or
- Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) – allowable limit of vehicle + load is > 4.5 tonne. This may be determined by:
- Driver requiring Light Rigid Vehicle licence
- Evidence of GVM published by vehicle manufacturer
- VIN plate on vehicle.
Vehicles with a GVM over 4.5 tonne may be referred to Birkdale recycling and waste centre to determine GCVM at the weighbridge.
-
Residential ratepayers pay a waste utility charge in their rates which covers the cost of all household waste including kerbside bin collection, community park bins and the management of Council-run recycling and waste centres. Council pays a waste levy to the Queensland Government for the disposal of commercial waste received at Council-run facilities. These fees are required to be paid by the business to avoid any increase in costs for residents. In addition, unpaid commercial fees provide an unfair competitive advantage over those commercial operators who are complying with the law and paying the relevant fees.
-
Fees change each financial year and are displayed at the gatehouse or are available on the Council fees pages 27-28. The fees cover the cost of disposing, composting or recycling commercial waste including the costs associated with the Queensland Government Waste Disposal Levy (where applicable).
Fees are based on the amount of waste brought into the recycling and waste centres:
- All recycling and waste centres (except for Birkdale) measure green waste in cubic metres
- All recycling and waste centres (except for Birkdale) charge for commercial mixed waste (Commercial & Industrial) by vehicle type and configuration
- Birkdale Recycling and Waste Centre has a weighbridge, measuring all commercial waste types by weight (accuracy of +/- 20kg).
The fees cover the cost of disposing of, composting or recycling commercial waste including the costs associated with the Queensland Government Waste Disposal Levy (where applicable).
EFTPOS is not accepted on island recycling and waste centres due to a lack of internet access and power in some instances and must be paid via cash or account.
Cash is not accepted at mainland recycling and waste centres and must be paid via account or EFT.
-
For a full list of items accepted/ not accepted at Recycling and Waste Centres see:
-
Even as a commercial operator, you can dispose of a range of items free of charge (if separated) at the following Recycling and Waste Centres:
- Scrap metal: All centres
- Appliances
- Caravan
- Car bodies – car body disposal decaration form must be completed prior to arrival
- Ferrous metal
- Lawn mowers
- Metal fencing, water tanks and boats / trailers
- Microwaves
- Non-ferrous metal
- Power tools
- Lead acid batteries: All centres except Karragarra Island and Lamb Island
- Items for yellow-lid recycling bins: All centres except Lamb Island
- Comingled recyclables
- Paper
- Shredded paper (in sealed cardboard box)
- Cardboard: All centres except Lamb Island
- Paint and paint packaging: Redland Bay only (see Paintback scheme for full acceptance criteria)
- maximum 100L in volume per visit
- must be carried in secure containers no larger than 20L
- Scrap metal: All centres