Waste and recycling
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Waste and recycling centres
Use our interactive map to find the locations, services and operating hours of waste and recycling centres on the Gold Coast.
Residents can use City waste and recycling centres to dispose of certain items without payment, within certain limits.
Visit How to use our waste and recycling centres to find out:
- how much waste you can take to a centre before a fee is charged
- the rules around what we accept, and
- domestic waste items that do incur a fee.
Waste disposal fees apply for:
- commercial waste
- waste generated outside the Gold Coast
- certain regulated wastes that come from domestic origins, such as tyres, asbestos, hazardous waste.
Eleven Waste and Recycling Centres (WRCs) and 2 landfills serve customers on the Gold Coast. While there have been no gate fees or significant increases in the Waste Management Utility Charge for over a decade, cost increases for waste management mean we can't continue to absorb the cost.
One of these increases is the Queensland Waste Disposal Levy, a state levy that applies to residential waste to landfill. It is a cost that increases every year.
To reduce the impact of cost increases for general rate payers we will be introducing a gate fee at WRCs from 1 July 2026. This means that those who use landfill services will be paying more for those services. This will apply to general waste and construction and demolition material. Recycling and green organics will remain free.
In the lead up to this change we will introduce new recycling services and increase household education to help Gold Coasters reduce waste to landfill.
Certain organisations are eligible for a concession on waste disposal fees.
For more information visit Waste disposal fees.
Residential bins
Find out about the bin collections services we offer, how to change your bin size to suit your needs and what to do if you need help with your bins.
Visit Residential bins.
Recycling
We encourage residents to avoid, re-use, recycle and recover waste.
Find out where to put your household waste and recyclables – use our Recyclepedia to recycle right. What you might think is trash could be recycling treasure.
Recyclepedia
You can use Recyclepedia on the go by downloading our mobile app.
These additional services may also help you recycle more and we thank you for your efforts.
Sort your load
To avoid waiting, get your things ready before you go and arrive early. Avoid the busy times from 10am to 2pm.
The following items are not permitted as part of the garden waste relaxed load limits:
- bags of any type (for example, garbage bags, compostable bags, bags made out of plastic or other materials)
- rocks
- soil
- landscaping items
- construction materials.
These items along with treated timber, batteries and oils can be recycled at various waste and recycling centres across the city. Check what materials are accepted at your local centre before you go. Load limits apply.
Find out more about how to use our waste and recycling centres.
On-demand kerbside collection service
We have changed the way we manage bulky waste kerbside collections. We have partnered with the Handel Group to provide our on-demand FLEXiSKiP kerbside collection service.
One free FLEXiSKiP can be ordered per eligible household each year.
Find out more and learn how to order a FLEXiSKiP.
Disposing of hazardous waste
Find out how to dispose of the following types of hazardous waste:
Commercial waste management
We can provide waste and recycling collection services to any commercial property within the service area of the Gold Coast. To find out more visit Commercial waste management.
Fire ants
Fire ant biosecurity zones are in place to help prevent fire ants from spreading. View these zones on the Fire Ant Eradication map. To help stop the spread of fire ants, items from within the biosecurity zone can only be taken to the Stapylton, Molendinar and Reedy Creek waste and recycling centres. These centres are also inside the zone.
You can take green waste and other items from outside the biosecurity zone to any waste and recycling centre which accepts green organics.
It's up to all of us to stop the spread of fire ants. If you're moving materials and are worried about fire ants, use the Material movement advice tool.
Get ready for storm and bushfire season
To help protect your family, home and pets, prepare in advance. Clean up your yard, trim your garden, remove items that can blow away and clear gutters. For excess green waste, you can use our green organics drop and go services.
Other ways to prepare in advance
- Know your risks – do you live in a flood or fire prone area?
- Make an emergency and evacuation plan
- Pack an emergency kit
- Subscribe to our Gold Coast alerts at dashboard.cityofgoldcoast.com.au
Learn more about how to prepare. Visit Get ready.