Lismore City Council has made some changes to how building certification is delivered, with these services now provided by accredited private certifiers. Council will continue to handle Building Information Certificates and external plumbing inspections. Read more on these changes here.
The Lismore Return and Earn bulk site will be closed from 17–22 November for the installation of an additional new processing machine. During this time, you can return containers at the Return and Earn machines at Southern Cross University or Goonellabah Woolworths.
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Council is conducting simple visual inspections of kerbside bins during collection days by “Lifting the Lid”. If contamination is found, a red “oh no!” tag is placed on the bin with details about what was incorrectly disposed. Households with high contamination then receive an education pack to help improve sorting. If no contamination is found, a green “awesome!” tag is placed on the bin with detailed positive reinforcement.
No. The Lift the Lid campaign is about education, not punishment. Our goal is to help residents understand how to sort waste correctly, and to tailor future waste education campaigns using the collected data. Bin tags are placed privately on individual bins and are not shared publicly.
Council has a responsibility to manage waste services effectively and reduce contamination. Visual bin checks are a standard part of audit processes and education program delivery across many councils and are conducted respectfully, without touching or removing items.
Immediate and tailored education for residents around waste assists in reducing contamination from the source by addressing specific issues, delivering relevant education and supporting positive behaviour change. This improves recycling and composting outcomes, lowers processing costs, and keeps valuable materials out of landfill.
No—recycling is still happening! While the local Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is no longer operating, recyclable materials like bottles, cans, cardboard and garden waste are sent offsite to specialist processors who turn them into new products.
While some MRFs do have staff who manually remove contaminants, most sorting is done by machines—and contaminated items can easily slip through or spoil entire loads. Incorrect items can cause damage to equipment, reduce the quality of recyclables, or lead to the whole truckload being sent to landfill if contamination is too high. Sorting correctly at home is the best way to make sure your recycling is recovered and reused.
No—these items are dangerous and can cause fires in collection trucks and sorting facilities. Please take them to designated drop-off points like the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre, 313 Wyrallah Road.
It’s best not to. Food in landfill produces methane—a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). When placed in the green FOGO bin, food scraps are turned into compost and mulch, helping the environment and reducing emissions.
Not anymore. Many fibre-based containers have been found to contain PFAS and other contaminants. The green bin is strictly for food scraps and garden waste only.
Yes—however it must comply with Australian Standard AS 4736, generic “biodegradable” or “compostable” bags that don’t meet these standards are not accepted. Products like Compost-A-Pak liners are approved and available locally through Council.
Soft plastics should go in the red landfill bin. Do not place them in the yellow recycling bin, as they can jam machinery and contaminate loads.
Council has created some free resources to help you understand what goes in which bin. The link has downloadable PDF files of a ‘What goes in our bins’ fridge magnet, as well as a comprehensive ‘A to Z Guide’ to waste disposal(PDF, 2MB). Other resources like recyclemate.com.au can be useful to determine disposal methods for various household items based on location.