Resource recovery is the process of turning waste into something useful. Instead of throwing away materials, they are sorted, separated, and processed to get valuable resources like metals, plastics, paper and organic materials. These recovered materials can then be used to make new products, reducing the need to extract new resources from the environment.

For example, recycling paper and plastic products made into new materials, composting organic waste to create fertiliser, and recovering metals from electronic waste are all examples of resource recovery.

Resource recovery is important because it reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfills, conserves natural resources, and creates economic opportunities through the creation of new products and markets. It is part of the circular economy, which aims to minimise waste and make better use of resources.

Reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill:

• reduces the cost to the Ipswich community per tonne from the State waste levy introduced in 2019
• brings us closer to our diversion targets of 70% by 2030 and 95% by 2050
• with a continuously growing population it means that we would run out of space at landfills or need many more of them
• more jobs are created from the recycling industry
• more resources are captured and recycled so we can strive towards a circular economy

Given the exponential growth of our city’s population, the ever increasing costs associated with material disposal and the negative environmental impacts from landfill, Council is investigating further ways to recover valuable waste resources and reduce waste to landfill.

To be a sustainable city, we need to view waste as a resource to be continually reused, recycled and reprocessed as far as possible, rather than simply discarded to landfill at the end of its singular purpose.

By doing this we benefit the environment, protect our natural resources and provide economic benefit to the city.

There is also a legislative requirement, as the Queensland Government has set specific waste recycling and reduction targets for Ipswich and other cities to help move towards a circular economy.

We can all do our part to make sure that we understand what Council is doing towards a circular economy and recycling and recovering materials from waste. Community can assist reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill by recycling and recovering items.

A circular economy is a system where resources are kept in use for as long as possible, waste minimised and materials are recycled or regenerated. This system is a sustainable alternative to the traditional wasteful and increasingly expensive linear economy of "take-make-dispose".

Click here to learn more on the steps Ipswich City Council is taking towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly circular economy.

You can find information on council waste services website and on the Ipswich Bin App.

Download the app now

Find out what you can recycle at council centres and other places here.

GO stands for Garden Organics material. GO bins are designed for all of your garden waste. This organic waste is collected fortnightly and then turned into compost at a local composting facility. This compost is then returned back to the environment through various outlets, such as agriculture.

Acceptable Items:

Leaves, grass clippings, weeds, small branches, flower, pruning from fruit trees (including the fruit).

Unaccepted Items:

Food waste and scraps, plastic bags (including compostable bags), general rubbish, recycling materials, treated wood or timber, pet waste, soil, rocks, heavy tree stumps and large branches.

For a specific item, if not listed above, residents can search the index of materials on the ‘Waste Materials’ on the Ipswich Bin App.

When the council initiated the FOGO program, we were doing so in line with the Queensland Government's Organics Strategy. However, the issues with odour, contamination, and the lack of compliant organic processors in the market have proven more significant than expected.

Queensland’s environmental regulator, the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI), has identified Food Organics (FO) as a source of odour at organic processing facilities. As such, Ipswich City Council has decided to temporarily pause the collection of household Food Organics.

This pause will remain in effect until we can ensure that the processing of these materials is safe, compliant, and financially sustainable.

We encourage residents to follow the new guidelines that the council has provided to ensure efficient waste management that benefits all the community.

Like any other material we don’t want in a bin, high volumes of that material may end up in landfill.

Residents across Ipswich that did not have an existing garden organics bin (and are considered eligible) had a new bin delivered between 2 June 2025 and 11 July 2025.

City-wide servicing commenced from 1 July 2025, as per the Bin Collection Calendar.

All standalone single unit dwelling households which currently have a 240L red lid general waste bin and 240/360L yellow lid recycling bin are eligible for a 240L GO bin.

Current ineligible properties:

• Multi-unit dwellings (MUDs) are ineligible at this stage. Council is in the process of reviewing the need for GO bins, or alternative GO solutions for MUDs. More will be communicated about any potential future implementation.

• Properties in Ipswich that do not currently have a council domestic waste service.

Only 240L bins will be delivered. Existing 360L bins will be phased out and replaced with 240L bins when they become broken, non-functional, or stolen.

The GO bin is part of the standard waste collection service, included in the waste management utility charge that customers pay. The GO bin service doesn’t cost customers more, as there will be cost savings from diverting organics from landfill.

The waste management utility charge increases each financial year for various reasons, one being that the State Waste Levy increases. Effective use of the GO bin means that the waste utility charge increase is minimised due to the reduction of waste going to landfill.

No. Garden organics (GO) bins are now part of the core bin service, which is mandatory to all single liveable dwellings. Customers who are dissatisfied with this are encouraged to submit a Waste Service Complaint, by contacting council on 07 3810 6666.