Council endorses new kerbside waste policy

Council has endorsed a new Kerbside Waste Collection Services Policy following community consultation, including extending green Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin services to vacant residential land from 1 July 2026.

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback through the Rethink Your Rubbish consultation. Your ideas and experiences have helped shape how we manage waste and recycling across our community.

At its meeting held 10 February 2026, Council:

• Noted the results of community consultation on the Rethink Your Rubbish project.
• Rescinded the former Waste Management Policy and Waste Management – Recycling Policy, so that we have one clear, updated policy for kerbside services.
• Endorsed a new Kerbside Waste Collection Services Policy, which brings our waste services together in a single, easy-to-understand document and allows for minor administrative updates to be made by the Chief Executive Officer over time.

For more information please refer to the meeting Agenda and Minutes available on our website.

Green bins for vacant residential land

Council has also endorsed a change to support better use of Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) services on vacant residential land:

• From 1 July 2026, one green FOGO bin will be provided for each vacant residential land property (for example, an empty block of land zoned for housing).
• This service will support better management of garden waste and help keep organic material out of landfill, even before new homes are built.

What this means for you

• Our new kerbside waste policy provides a clearer, more consistent framework for how we deliver kerbside bin services across the City of Mitcham.
• Residents will continue to receive the familiar three-bin system, with the new policy helping to clarify how services are delivered and improved over time.
• From 1 July 2026, owners of vacant residential land will also have access to a FOGO bin, helping to manage green waste responsibly and support our shared environmental goals.
• The policy now supports Council to explore ways of managing waste and resources in a more sustainable and innovative way. This aligns with a lot of the community feedback we received during the consultation stage.

There is no change to your existing household bin collection days as a result of this decision.

We appreciate everyone who took the time to complete the survey, attend a session or share feedback on Rethink Your Rubbish. Your input has directly influenced Council’s decisions and will help us reduce waste to landfill, improve recycling and create a cleaner, greener City of Mitcham.

Background

We are looking ahead and considering how our waste and recycling services might evolve to meet future needs, and we are seeking your feedback to help guide the next steps.

We are exploring how we can move towards a circular economy system where materials are reused, recycled, and kept in use for as long as possible, rather than being thrown away. We are also looking at how to improve our green bin (food and garden organics - FOGO) services, to reduce the amount of organic waste going to landfill and turn it into useful compost instead.

Shaping the Future of Kerbside Waste Services

The current Waste Management Policy focuses on the types of bins provided by Council (blue, yellow, green), collection frequency (weekly or fortnightly) and includes a short statement regarding the promotion of waste minimisation. As our community grows and our environmental goals evolve, it is time to rethink our approach.

We are developing a new Kerbside Waste Services Policy that aims to:

• Deliver fair and relevant services for all residents and community groups
• Clearly outline bin entitlements and service levels (bins provided by Council, collection frequency etc.)
• Acknowledge the diverse needs of different land uses – including homes, vacant land, businesses, places of worship, schools, and sporting clubs
• Use language that reflects current community and industry standards
• Embed circular economy principles to reduce waste and recover valuable resources
• Prepare for future changes within the City of Mitcham and the broader waste sector

Managing waste starts with you – share how you use your bins and help us improve

Your input will help us better understand community priorities and support a more sustainable future for Mitcham.

We invite you to have your say via the surveys and ideas board below before 5pm Tuesday 28 October 2025. Please note that there are three (3) different surveys tailored to different segments of our community to help us deliver fair and relevant services for residents and community groups:

• Resident Survey (for those who live in the City of Mitcham)
• Community Organisation Survey (for kindergartens, schools, places of worship, social enterprise and privately owned community facilities such as Scout or Guide Halls in the City of Mitcham)
• Sports Club or Facility Survey (for sporting clubs or facilities in the City of Mitcham)

For more information please contact our Sustainability team via phone on 1300 133 466 or email yoursay@mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au

CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

Rethink Your Rubbish - Resident Survey

CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

Rethink Your Rubbish - Community Organisation Survey

CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

Rethink Your Rubbish - Sporting Facility Survey

Circular Economy Focus Areas

A circular economy is a system where materials are reused, recycled, and kept in use for as long as possible, rather than being thrown away.

Please vote for the areas or initiatives that you believe Council should focus on.

We also encourage you to add your own ideas if you have heard of any great circular economy or resource recovery programs that we should explore!

CLOSED: This ideas has concluded.