Inner West Council is a local authority in New South Wales, home to ~195,000 residents, covering Marrickville, Leichhardt, Ashfield, Newtown, Balmain, Petersham and Dulwich Hill. Like most Australian councils, it runs a multi-bin kerbside collection service. The day your bins go out, and which bins go out which week, depends on your address.
This guide covers the standard Inner West Council bin colours and frequencies, how to find your specific collection day, and an easier way to never have to think about bin night again.
Inner West Council bin colours and schedule
Inner West has rolled out FOGO across the LGA. Red bin moved to fortnightly when FOGO became weekly.
How to find your collection day in Inner West Council
Your exact collection day depends on your address. Inner West Council divides the area into collection zones to balance truck routes across the week, which means different streets - and sometimes different sides of the same street, can have different days. The most reliable way to check is through the official Inner West Council website:
Check your Inner West Council bin collection day →
Enter your address there to see a personalised schedule, including any upcoming public holiday changes.
Why bin night gets confusing
Inner West Council runs a FOGO (food and garden organics) service, which means food scraps go in the green or lime-green bin alongside garden waste, not the red general waste bin. Many residents don't realise this when they first move in, especially if they've come from a council that still uses a fortnightly green-only garden bin.
Public holidays can shift the entire schedule by a day, and some councils push the rotation forward while others skip a week entirely. If you've just moved to Inner West Council, your neighbours may be on a completely different rotation to you, even on the same street.
What the bin colours mean
The bin lid colours used in Inner West Council broadly follow Australia's national standard for kerbside bins (AS 4123.7):
- Red lid: general waste: the things that can't be recycled or composted.
- Yellow lid: mixed recycling: clean paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metal containers.
- Green lid (FOGO): food and garden organics: food scraps go here, not in the red bin.
An easier way to remember bin night
If you're tired of checking calendars and counting fortnights, there's a simpler approach. Bindicator is a small lamp that sits on your kitchen bench or shelf and lights up the night before collection day in the colour of the bins that need to go out. You set it up once (it takes about 2 minutes), and then you never need to check a Inner West Council calendar again.
Everyone in the house can see it. No app to open, no notification to dismiss.. When someone takes the bins out, they tap the lid to turn off the light, so the rest of the household knows it has been handled.
Bindicator costs A$35 with free returns and a 3-year warranty. No subscription, no ongoing cost.
Never think about bin night again.
Ships to Australia and the UK · Free returns · 3-year warranty
Get Bindicator for A$35Inner West Council bin day: frequently asked questions
When is bin day in Inner West Council?
Bin collection day in Inner West Council depends on your specific address. Inner West Council divides its area into multiple collection zones, so neighbouring streets, and even different sides of the same street, can have different days. The most reliable way to check is to enter your address on the official Inner West Council website.
How often is general waste collected in Inner West Council?
In Inner West Council, the red bin (general waste) is collected fortnightly.
How often is recycling collected in Inner West Council?
In Inner West Council, the yellow bin (mixed recycling: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metal containers) is collected fortnightly.
Does Inner West Council have a green or FOGO bin?
Yes, Inner West Council provides a green bin for food and garden organics (fogo). It is collected weekly.
What happens to bin collection on public holidays in Inner West Council?
Collection day usually shifts by one day after a public holiday in Inner West Council, with the rest of the week pushed back. Major holidays like Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Australia Day and ANZAC Day are most often affected. Always check the council website around public holidays. Exact arrangements vary year to year.
What if I miss a bin collection in Inner West Council?
If your bins were not emptied on collection day, leave them out and contact Inner West Council to report a missed collection. Most councils will return within 1–2 working days. Bringing the bins in and putting them out again the following week is the next-best option.
