General Waste

General waste is made up of residual materials that can’t be recovered or recycled. We provide you with best practise solutions for the collection and disposal of general waste.

Facts about General Waste

of plastic isn’t recycled

of material found in general waste bins is organic waste

1.9

million

tonnes of paper sent to landfill by Australians every year

Definition

What is General Waste?

Although we encourage recycling and recovery where possible, we understand this is not always an option.

General waste is made up of materials that are not fit for recovery or recycling.

What goes in the general waste bin?

YES

Plastic bags
Non-recyclable packaging
Mixed waste including food scraps
Broken ceramics and glass

Paper & cardboard
Liquids
Chemicals
Recyclable bottles & cans
Large heavy objects
Regulated waste
Tyres

Concrete
Liquid waste
Asbestos
Drums
Hot or smouldering waste
Containers
Hazardous waste

Acceptance criteria varies across States and Territories.

Bin and container options

Where does general waste go?

General waste gets put in bins or containers with a red lid or signage.

Process

What happens to General Waste?

General waste can be processed at one of our Advanced Resource Recovery Technology (ARRT) facilities, which use anaerobic digestion composting processes to convert organics found in general waste into soil conditioners for soil rehabilitation. This advanced technology helps us to divert up to 55% of General waste from landfill.

While we recover as much from waste as possible, not everything is suitable or available for recovery. Drawing on our international expertise, SUEZ employs cutting-edge technology in our engineered landfills and smart cells® to convert biogas produced by general waste into electricity to power homes and businesses. Each year, SUEZ generates enough electricity to power over 47,000 homes.