Fees and Payment
Our pricing structure at Summerhill is designed to encourage you to separate materials that we can recover for reuse or recycling.
If you bring in sorted loads of recoverable materials—such as garden organics or scrap metal—you'll pay less than for mixed loads. The more you sort, the more you can save and help our environment.
Some wastes have itemised prices, due to the difficulty or cost to process and handle them in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
The following fees and charges are for 2024/25 and include GST. A comprehensive listing is available in our fees and charges register. A minimum charge applies to most loads. Payments by card may attract a 0.75% (GST inclusive) merchant surcharge.
You can also view the information below in our fees and charges (PDF 685kB) flyer.
General Solid Waste Loads
Type of Waste | Charge per tonne | Minimum charge |
|---|---|---|
Mixed (non-putrescible): Non-hazardous mixed waste: wood, paper, glass, plastics, metal, plasterboard, non-food organics, bricks, tiles and concrete. | $379 | $54 |
| Mixed (putrescible): Food (excl. grease trap) waste, manure, disposable nappies, incontinence pads and sanitary napkins. | $434 | $64 |
Special or difficult: Contaminated, animals, offensive, clinical, difficult. Disposal rules apply. By prior arrangement only: phone 02 4974 2000 | $526 | $75 |
| Asbestos: Disposal rules apply. By prior arrangement only: phone 02 4974 2000 | $604 | $89 |
| Asbestos soil: Disposal rules apply. By prior arrangement only: phone 02 4974 2000 | $526 | $78 |
| Classified soil: Disposal rules apply. By prior arrangement only: phone 02 4974 2000 | $508 | $75 |
Sorted Loads
Type of Waste | Charge per tonne | Minimum charge |
|---|---|---|
| Cardboard - clean, dry, flattened: No waxed cardboard, packaging or excessive tape | $68* | $11 |
| Electrical waste (e-waste) - Commercial/non-residents: TVs, computers, printers/scanners, fans, phones, video recorders, DVD players, radios/stereos, power tools, kitchen appliances, vacuums and heaters. | $278 | n/a |
| Electrical waste (e-waste) - Newcastle households ONLY: First 10 items free per visit. | FREE | n/a |
| Garden organics: 100% garden organics only (e.g. lawn clippings, prunings, branches, stumps). No food. | $170 | $26 |
| Recyclables - mixed domestic: Yellow-lid bin items: paper and cardboard (dry, clean, flattened, unwaxed), bottles, cans and containers. | $171 | $27 |
| Recyclable bottles and containers: Yellow-lid bin glass and plastic bottles, aluminium and steel cans, plastic bottles and containers. | $68* | $11 |
| Scrap metal: Whitegoods (excluding fridges, freezers and air-conditioners), car parts, bikes, hot water heaters, steel, aluminium. | FREE | n/a |
| Soft plastic: Clean plastic bags, satchels, packaging, bubble wrap. No food remnants. | $68* | $11 |
| Soil - Virgin Excavated Natural Material (VENM): Clean, uncontaminated soils. Disposal rules apply. Phone 02 4974 2000 prior to delivery. | $236 | $37 |
*Free for Newcastle residents through the Sort & Save service. Conditions apply.
Unit Pricing
Charges for the following waste types are per item and will be in addition to tonnage charge if included in a mixed load.
| Type of Waste | Charge per item |
|---|---|
| Batteries - Lead acid/Car | Households - FREE* |
| Commercial - $14 | |
| Fridges/Freezers/Refrigerant Air-Conditioners | $47 |
| Gas Bottles | Households - FREE* |
| Commercial - $34 | |
| Mattresses (all sizes) | $47 |
| Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems | Panels - $15 |
| Li-ion solar batteries - $3/kg (min. charge $30) | |
| Inverters - FREE | |
| Tyres (all sizes) | $43 |
*Free for NSW households at the Summerhill Community Recycling Centre. Domestic quantities apply.
Secure Waste Disposal
See our Secure Waste Burial and Secure Waste Destruction fact sheets for more information.
| Secure Waste Disposal Services | Charge |
|---|---|
| Secure Burial and Certificate | $510 per tonne inclusive of General Solid Waste (Mixed) disposal fee PLUS optional $40 photographic evidence per load |
| Secure Destruction and Certificate | $494 per tonne inclusive of General Solid Waste (Mixed) disposal fee PLUS optional $40 photographic evidence per load |
Government waste levies
The NSW Government charges a levy for all waste disposed of at any licensed landfill site, including Summerhill Waste Management Centre. Summerhill collects this levy (rated at $170.10 per tonne in 2024/25) within the fees and charges outlined above and passes the levy collection to the EPA.
Payment arrangements
Summerhill Waste Management Centre is a cashless facility. We do not accept payment by banknote, coin or cheque.
You can pay using most major types of credit or debit cards—such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express—including the mobile wallet on your smart phone or device. Payments made by card may attract a 0.75% (GST inclusive) merchant surcharge. Payment by card over the phone is NOT accepted.
Customers with a regular minimum payment of $1,000 per month may be eligible to open an account (subject to satisfactory credit checks).
Additional charges will apply when waste requires special handling and management to ensure compliance with WHS legislation and environmental protection standards on-site are maintained.
