General Waste and Mixed Heavy Waste Skip Bins
Most skip bins booked in Sydney are one of these two. The difference is simple: general waste is light rubbish, mixed heavy waste is light rubbish plus building materials. Picking the right one is the easiest way to avoid an extra charge.
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Short answer: clearing out a house, garage or office? Book general waste. Renovating, with bricks, tiles, concrete or timber in the mix? Book mixed heavy waste. Soil and sand go in neither.
Updated October 2026.
Side by side
| General waste | Mixed heavy waste | |
|---|---|---|
| Household rubbish, cardboard, clothes, toys | Yes | Yes |
| Furniture and appliances | Yes | Yes |
| Light garden waste and trimmings | Yes | Yes |
| Light timber | Yes | Yes |
| Treated timber, kitchen cabinets | Light amounts | Yes |
| Bricks, tiles, concrete | No | Yes |
| Metal and steel | Light items | Yes |
| Soil, sand, clay | No | No |
| Tree trunks over 150mm wide or 550mm long | No | No |
| Asbestos, chemicals, paint, liquids, food scraps | No | No |
Not sure which one your job is? Call and describe it.
General waste: what it suits
- House and garage clean outs
- Moving house
- Deceased estate clean ups
- Office and shop clear outs
- Light garden tidy ups
General waste is lighter per cubic metre, so it is the cheapest bin to fill. It is also the one most often overloaded with bricks or soil, which is where surprise charges come from.
Mixed heavy waste: what it suits
- Kitchen and bathroom renovations
- Internal demolition
- Builders cleaning up a site
- Knocking out a wall or a pergola
- Any job where you are not sure what will come out
Mixed heavy waste is the safe choice for a renovation. It takes almost everything a renovation produces except soil. If the job is all rubble with no timber or rubbish, a clean rubble bin is cheaper.
Never in either bin
- Asbestos (see what to do with it)
- Paint, chemicals and chemical containers
- Liquids and oils
- Food scraps and other rotting waste
- Insulation
- Soil, sand and clay (use a soil bin)
The full list, and where the banned items can go instead, is on what can you put in a skip bin.
Related pages
Common questions
What is general waste in a skip bin?
General waste is the light, everyday mix from a house or office clean out: household rubbish, cardboard, clothes, toys, furniture, appliances, light timber and light garden waste.
What is mixed heavy waste?
Mixed heavy waste is general waste plus the heavy stuff from a renovation or demolition: bricks, tiles, concrete, treated timber, kitchen cabinets and metal. It does not include soil, sand or clay.
Can I put bricks in a general waste bin?
No. Bricks, concrete, tiles and clay make it a mixed heavy waste load. If they end up in a general waste bin, the load is reclassified and you pay the difference.
Which is cheaper, general waste or mixed heavy?
General waste is cheaper because it is lighter. If you only have a few bricks or tiles, it can be cheaper to put them aside and take them yourself than to upgrade the whole bin.
Can furniture and appliances go in?
Yes, in both. Fridges, washing machines and couches are all fine. Mattresses and tyres are often charged extra, so mention them when you book.
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