Shellharbour City Council is reminding residents of important changes to waste services over the Christmas and New Year period.
Caption: Dunmore Recycling & Waste Disposal Depot Christmas opening hours. Image courtesy of Shellharbour City Council.
There will be no bin collections on Christmas Day (25 December). If your regular collection day falls on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, please place your bins out as usual. They will be collected either on the scheduled day or the following day.
To help manage the extra waste generated during the festive season, all residents will receive an additional recycling bin collection between 29 December and 9 January. This extra service will occur on the same day as your regular red and green bin collection. Please ensure your bins are placed out during this period.
Council also advises:
- Bulk kerbside collection services will be paused until 7 January.
- Irregular service bookings (such as additional pickups) for the period 25 December to 5 January must be booked and paid for before 12pm on 24 December.
The Dunmore Recycling and Waste Depot experience a significant increase in visitors during the Christmas period, particularly between 10am and 2pm. We ask residents to remain patient while weighbridge operators work to get everyone in and out safely.
Depot opening hours:
- Weekdays: 7:30am-4pm
- Weekends & Public Holidays: 8am-4pm
- Closed Christmas Day
Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer said the festive season is the busiest time of year for waste services.
"From packaging and wrapping paper to food scraps, the amount of waste generated during December and January is significant," he said.
"Council is committed to ensuring collections run smoothly, and we encourage residents to recycle and use FOGO wherever possible."
Tips for a Sustainable Christmas
- Use FOGO for all food waste, including prawn shells.
- Recycle as much packaging as possible.
- Choose reusable or fabric wrapping options.
- Dispose of real Christmas trees in FOGO.
- Keep recycling loose (never bag it).
- Leave lids and labels on recyclables.
- Do not rinse recyclables - conserve water.
- Never place batteries in household bins - use B-cycle drop-off points.
Residents can also upcycle unwanted items or shop for unique gifts at Reviva Dunmore, where second-hand bikes, surfboards and other treasures await.
