We want to know what matters to you most about waste collection at your property including cost, reliability and convenience.
We want your feedback on:
- Your experience with waste collection at your residential property over the past 12 months
- how you feel about reducing, reusing and recycling as part of your everyday life
- new general waste and recycling initiatives, strategies or ideas we could investigate
About your waste collection service
We provide one of the highest kerbside waste collection service levels in the Northern Territory and comparable municipalities. All residential properties in Palmerston receive a general waste collection with red-lidded bins at least twice per week and a recycling service with yellow-lidded bins at least once per fortnight.
General waste is transported to the Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility for disposal, while recyclable materials are taken to a local Materials Recovery Facility for sorting and processing.
Property owners pay for household rubbish collection as a waste charge with their council rates. The charge covers waste collection plus other related services, including:
- access to services at the Archer Waste Management Facility
- public litter collection
- street sweeping
- the Pre-Cyclone Clean Up.
Our current domestic waste collection contract expires mid-2027 and we’re currently preparing the documentation for a new contract.
The information you share will help guide the services provided within the new contract and future waste management decisions. Alongside financial, operational and environmental considerations, to make sure this important service continues to meet the needs of our growing community.
Community Engagement
Join the conversation on the Palmerston domestic waste collection service from now until 18 May 2026.
It is easy to provide your feedback, just fill out the form below. If you would like to be contacted after the engagement, please make sure to leave your contact details and you will automatically go into the draw to win a waste reduction prize pack valued at $300!
You can also contact us via phone 8935 9922 or pop into Civic Plaza between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm Monday to Friday, or email us at palmerston@palmerston.nt.gov.au.
Background
The current waste collection contract was awarded in 2019 and runs until 3 July 2027. The community provided feedback on general waste and recycling collection that helped to inform the 2019 contract. At the time, the community preferred to have 120L general waste bins collected twice a week, rather than larger bins collected less frequently for single dwellings.
For further information on ourwaste management services, including bin collection calendar and recycling guide, head over to our waste management page.
Consultation Questions
This consultation will help us better understand what matters most to the community when it comes to their waste services. This includes cost, reliability, convenience and sustainability. Feedback will be used alongside technical, financial, operational and sustainability considerations to inform future service decisions.
We want your feedback on:
- your experience with waste collection at your property
- how you feel about reducing, reusing and recycling as part of your everyday life
- new general waste and recycling initiatives, strategies or ideas we can consider.
There are a number of ways people can provide feedback including an online survey, social media, Zucccoli Pump Track opening and popping into the office. The best way to find more information is to visit Council’s website or Facebook page.
We are providing multiple ways to participate including in-person opportunities. For those who need assistance, our staff are here to help. You can either visit the Civic Centre or call us and a customer service officer will help you.
Once consultation closes, Council will review all feedback and identify key themes. This information will be considered when developing future service options and we’ll report back to the community on how input has shaped the decision.
Residential waste in Palmerston
Palmerston’s general waste is currently transported to the Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility for disposal.
Recyclable materials are taken to a local Materials Recovery Facility and around 68% of recycling materials collected in Palmerston are able to be recycled.
Around 50kg of general waste is disposed of by Palmerston households on average each month. The current service allows for up to 80kg of general waste to be collected per household, per week.
We have a Sustainability Strategy to ensure the environment and liveability of Palmerston is protected and enhanced for current and future generations. The strategy includes a range of initiatives from solar power at Council facilities, facility upgrades at the Archer Waste Management Facility and greening initiatives. People can find out more by searching ‘sustainability’ on our website.
The residential waste charge for both single dwellings and multi-dwellings in 2026/27 is $612 per dwelling per year.
This charge includes the cost of domestic waste collection.
Some larger apartment complexes have their own Council-approved domestic waste collection service. These properties pay a reduced charge of $308 per dwelling per year.
The waste charge also helps fund other waste-related services provided by Council, including:
- Archer Waste Management Facility
- public litter collection
- street sweeping
- pre-cyclone clean-up
Single dwellings (individual bins collected from the kerbside):
- 120L general waste collected twice per week.
- 240L recycling collected once per fortnight.
Multi-dwellings (shared bins):
- 240L general waste collected four times per week (1 x bin per 4 units).
240L recycling collected, once per week (1 x bin per 2 units).
Project Stages
- Open This consultation is open for contributions.
- Under Review
- Closed This consultation is closed for contributions.