WELLINGTON Shire Council’s annual hard waste collection period will begin on September 30 and conclude on November 1.

Council conducts hard waste pick up from residences in declared garbage collection areas, which already have a kerbside bin collection. The purpose of hard waste collection is to provide residents with a convenient way to dispose of large, bulky items that cannot be collected through regular waste collection services. It also reduces illegal dumping, promotes recycling and reuse and improves community cleanliness.

Hard waste collection will commence on the following dates:

-If your bin is collected on a Friday, your hard waste collection will begin on Monday, September 30;

-If your bin is collected on a Thursday, your hard waste collection will begin on Monday, October 7;

-If your bin is collected on a Wednesday, your hard waste collection will begin on Monday, 14 October;

-If your bin is collected on a Tuesday, your hard waste collection will begin on Monday, October 21, and:

-If your bin is collected on a Monday, your hard waste collection will begin on Monday, October 28.

Council said it’s reminding residents to place their hard waste items on their nature strip before 6am on the Monday that collection begins. However, residents should ensure that items are placed no more than one week prior to their scheduled collection date to keep streets manageable and clean.

To ensure a safe collection for contractors, council said that hard waste is to be placed on the resident’s nature strip only. Steel and scrap metal are to be piled separately, with the total hard waste size limit being 1.5 cubic metres.

Wellington Shire Mayor, Ian Bye said that annual hard waste collection is a great opportunity to dispose of unwanted household items, but before throwing things away think about whether they can be reused.

“Remember, one person’s trash can be another person’s treasure. So, think twice before discarding any large items that don’t fit into your kerbside bin. It’s always important to consider the environmental impact when disposing of items past their useful life,” he said.

Residents are also reminded that E-waste (which is any item that needs a plug or battery to work) is no longer collected as hard waste. E-waste is no longer permitted in Victoria’s landfills and cannot be disposed of in either kerbside bins or hard waste collection. E-waste may be recycled for free at any Wellington Shire council transfer station or landfill, with a list of locations available on council’s website.

To view the hard waste collection schedule, or for a full list of items which are acceptable for collection, please visit: wellington.vic.gov.au/hardwaste or phone hard waste contractor Dasma on: 4124 3000.