Hard Rubbish Merri-bek: Bookings, Items and Disposal
Merri-bek’s annual entitlement is two cubic metres in total, shared with booked branches and cardboard. Public-road skips follow a provider permit route, but footpaths and nature strips are not permitted skip locations.
Rules and charges checked 14 October 2026. Local Skip Bins Melbourne is an independent referral service, not affiliated with Merri-bek council or its collection contractor. Book council hard rubbish through the Merri-bek council collection route. This page’s quote form is for private skip enquiries.
Choose which category spends the two-cubic-metre total
The financial-year allowance can be two 1 m³ bookings or one 2 m³ booking. Bulk cardboard and bundled branches use the same balance instead of hard waste; they are not extra volumes above two full clean-outs. Book the category through council’s linked WM service. The included service generally takes two to four weeks, with the confirmed week controlling set-out. Properties that do not pay the waste charge can use the separate paid pathway rather than receiving an included allocation.
council collection instructions council item list.
Keep the sticker and clear away what remains
After booking, the council brochure describes a user guide and booked-collection sticker. Set out on the preceding weekend, ready by Sunday night. If there is no nature strip, ask council where the hard-waste pile can go. Cancel at least 48 hours before collection week. Remove material left uncollected within 24 hours. A one-cubic-metre booking that exceeds its size but remains within two cubic metres can consume both allocations; above two is outside the allowance. Measure before spending the second booking unintentionally.
council collection instructions council item list.
One bed set and one carpet roll have their own limits
The guide lists one mattress and base per household, ten timber pieces up to 1.5 m and one tied carpet roll up to 1.5 m that two people can lift. E-waste has batteries removed; accepted whitegoods include fridges with doors removed. Wrap and mark sheet glass. Fence panels, building/renovation material, cement sheeting, tyres, paint, gas bottles, chemicals, garden material in the hard-waste pile and hazardous waste are refused. The volume allowance does not remove these item limits.
The paid service has a different arrangement window
Paid hard waste is $100 for 1 m³ or $200 for 2 m³. Council says book and pay in the week before collection; do not use that paid-service instruction as a guaranteed wait for the included booking. Paid cardboard and branch options are separate categories and charges. Describe the actual inventory when asking about the booking so the collection type and price match the material. A larger volume needing several services should be planned explicitly rather than left outside above the accepted pile.
council collection instructions council item list.
A road-placement permit does not allow a nature-strip skip
The provider obtains permission for a public-road/council-land bin; wholly private placement does not use this permit. Merri-bek prohibits skips on footpaths and nature strips. Its annual provider tiers are $873 for 1–10 placements, $1,700 for 11–20 and $2,015 for 21 or more, expiring on 30 September. These company charges are not household skip-hire prices. The provider sends placement advice seven days ahead of each bin and follows traffic-clearance and any restricted cul-de-sac conditions.
Check East Brunswick’s load rules before taking a trailer
Council’s waste-location directory identifies East Brunswick Transfer Station at 32 Kirkdale Street and links the private operator. It also lists nearby Darebin Reservoir, Banyule Bellfield and Hume Bolinda options. Those facilities do not share one acceptance policy; Bellfield currently excludes rubble. Follow the appropriate destination’s current item and charge information. For a private bin, describe the material first, then check address access and lawful placement rather than assuming the kerbside allowance transfers to the hire service.
For the private-bin alternative, compare measured skip sizes and Melbourne skip placement permission. Check the referral service-area guide and confirm delivery with the responding provider. Return to the Melbourne council comparison for another municipality.
Questions about this collection
Can I use two 2 m³ hard-waste collections?
No. The annual total is 2 m³, taken in one double or two 1 m³ bookings, and other booked categories share it.
Does bundled cardboard use a hard-waste allocation?
Yes. Bulk cardboard and bundled branches can be selected instead of hard waste within the same annual entitlement.
What if my 1 m³ pile is actually 1.5 m³?
Council says an oversized single booking up to 2 m³ can consume both allocations. Keep within the booked volume if you need the remaining balance later.
Are batteries inside old electronics allowed?
Remove batteries before setting out e-waste. The electronic-device category does not make loose batteries an accepted collection item.
Can the skip provider put a bin on the nature strip?
No. Merri-bek’s permit page prohibits placement on nature strips and footpaths, even though it has a road-placement permit route.
Is $873 the cost of hiring my household skip?
No. That is the annual provider permit tier for 1–10 placements, not an individual household’s bin hire or disposal quote.