Council's guide to waste and recycling over the break
Wollongong City Council shares essential waste and recycling information for the festive break
WCC media release, 17 December 2025
Be on Santa’s nice list and make sure you do the right thing with your waste over the festive season.
Council is reminding residents to only fill your FOGO bin with food and garden waste, recycle what you can, and only put landfill-destined items in the red-lid bin. If you are unsure where something belongs, check the A-Z Recycling Guide or download the Wollongong Waste app.
Here’s some essential waste and recycling information for the festive break.
Kerbside collections
Kerbside bin collections will continue as normal over the festive season, with the exception of Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Please place your bins on the kerb as normal and we’ll come by to collect them either that day or the next. If your bin isn’t collected on its usual day, rest assured we are on our way!
The Wollongong Waste and Resource Recovery Park (including the Community Recycling Centre) is only closed on Christmas Day. Otherwise, its hours of operation over the festive season are 7.30am to 4.30pm on weekdays, and 8am to 4pm on weekends and public holidays.
Cardboard and recycling drop-offs
Our free festive recycling drop-offs are back for any additional cardboard and household recycling. See dates below.
| Location | When |
|---|---|
| Fred Finch Park, Berkeley Enter from Bedford Street. Area to the east. No through traffic to stadium. | 7.30am – 12pm, Saturday 27 December |
| Rex Jackson Park, Helensburgh Enter from Walker and Robertson Streets. All of carpark near netball courts. | 7.30am – 12pm, Monday 29 December |
| Ray Robinson Oval, Towradgi Enter from Moray Road. All of the carpark. | 7.30am – 12pm, Tuesday 30 December |
What can you bring?
- Flattened cardboard
- Steel and tin cans
- Aluminium cans, trays and clean foil
- Rigid plastic containers, including lids
- Glass bottles and jars
- Milk and juice Cartons
What will not be accepted?
- Soft plastics
- Wrapping paper
- Polystyrene foam
- Food soiled cardboard
- Unflattened cardboard boxes
- General waste
- Food organics and garden organics
- Clothing and linen
Soft plastics
Clean, dry and empty soft plastics can be dropped off at Flagstaff Group at 26 Nolan Street Unanderra during the following times only:
- Monday – Thursday, 4.15pm – 4.45pm
- Saturdays, 8am – 10.45am
Most Woolworths stores across Wollongong also have soft plastic collection points.
Wrapping paper
Large pieces of plain wrapping paper can be scrunched into a ball and recycled in your yellow-lid bin.
Metallic or glitter wrapping paper cannot be recycled and should go in your red-lid bin.
Leftovers and FOGO
All food waste and garden waste can go into your green-lid Food Organics Garden Organics bin (just make sure your bin lid can close).
This includes:
- Ham bones.
- Seafood and shells.
- Plate scrapings.
- Real Christmas trees (NOTE: Trees must be cut into lengths so the lid can close. Fake Christmas trees belong in your red-lid rubbish bin).
Tip: If you’re worried about the smell from food scraps and prawn heads, put the food scraps and shells into a FOGO caddy liner and place in the freezer. You can then put this entire frozen FOGO bag into your green-lid wheely bin on collection day.
Remember, if it’s food, it’s FOGO.
