SA Kerbside Waste Performance Report 2020-21

This report presents data on kerbside waste and recycling collection services in South Australia provided by the 19 metropolitan Adelaide and 49 regional councils in the 2020-21 financial year. It analyses performance and improvements in council waste management efficiency and sustainability over the past 17 years.

The focus is only on waste material collected at kerbside bins provided specifically for residual waste (landfill), co-mingled recyclables and organics (green and/or food). Hard waste, street sweepings, Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) returns and waste collected at drop-off facilities and council-operated commercial services are excluded from the main report. 

All 19 metropolitan Adelaide councils offer a three-bin service that has been gradually introduced from about 2001, although six only provide an organics (green and/or food) bin on an opt-in basis. In the regions, approximately half offer a three-bin system, including many where these services are provided to townships only. One regional council offers a fourth bin for paper and cardboard only. There are also some differences between councils in terms of bin ownership, full council ownership versus optional adoption (householder ownership) and collection frequency.

Green Industries SA is committed to working with Local Government councils to improve waste and recycling management to achieve the targets set in the South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2020-25.