Cessnock Waste Management Centre

Make your trip to the centre easier by packing your trailer or ute in the right order, so you can unload it at the various drop-off points quickly. For example, concrete/bricks/metal items are your first stop, so it would need to be packed last and mixed waste packed first.

It's also important to secure and cover your load and make sure the weight is correctly distributed.

All vehicles must go over the weighbridge (WB1) to dispose of waste or recyclables at the site where you'll be given a swipe card at the weighbridge that records your transaction.

Following the yellow path indicated on the map above, turning right at the round-about. If you are disposing of mixed recyclables continue straight following the signage to the drop off areas (1, 2, and 3). If you're disposing of mixed waste, continue along the yellow path driving passed the problem waste (4) at the CRC until you reach a second internal weighbridge (WB2). Wait until you have completely stopped and swipe your card before the boom gate will allow you to proceed to mixed waste drop off area (5).

On exit, follow the white path indicated on the map above, turn left at the round-about and proceed to the weighbridge (WB3). Hand in your swipe card to finalise your transaction.

Waste Vouchers

Show the operator your Waste Vouches on your way in to check it's valid and on the way out click on redeem and our friendly staff will scan the voucher.

Please see Your Waste Service for more information on your Waste Vouchers

Fees and Charges:

There's a cost for all of the waste management services offered at the Centre, from recycling to landfill. The most effective way to reduce the cost is through recycling and diverting material from landfill.

In NSW, waste facilities are licenced by the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). As part of this licence:

• Council must pay the NSW State Waste Levy of $180.20 (2026/27) for every tonne received.
• All waste must be recorded via a weighbridge (providing accurate records and recording both waste and recyclables) and a monthly report provided to the EPA.
• Council's current levy contribution is in the order of $5 million per year.

Minimum charges for the site for 2026/27 are:

• $10 for recyclable and recoverable materials (excluding problem waste)
• $20 for mixed, special and commercial waste

Electronic payments are preferred. Account transactions available for regular users.

Fees and charges onsite for 2026/27 are:

Full fees and charges for mixed and separated loads at the landfill are listed in Council’s Fees and Charges here.

Note: Charges include the NSW State Government Waste Levy of $180.20/tonne.

• Council’s Administration Building: 62-78 Vincent St, Cessnock 2325 (please hand to staff at the counter)
• Kurri Kurri Library: Cnr Lang & Allworth Streets, Kurri Kurri 2327 (temporarily closed due to maintenance)

Head to one of our FREE Community Recycling Stations during regular opening hours to dispose of:

• Fluorescent tubes and household light bulbs
• Household batteries
• Mobile phones
• Ink cartridges

The safest way to dispose of potentially hazardous household chemicals is at a Household Chemical CleanOut event. It's a FREE service for the safe disposal of a range of household chemicals that could cause harm to human health and the environment if they are not disposed of correctly.

CleanOut events are held at locations throughout NSW. Check out the CleanOut website here for a full list of accepted items and conditions of use.

The following conditions apply:

• Only household quantities accepted. Maximum container size of 20kg or 20L per item.
• Up to 100L of paint (in 20L containers) accepted.

The safest way to dispose of household batteries is to collect your used batteries and separate them into non-rechargeable alkaline batteries from rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Tape the terminals of your batteries and find your nearest drop-off location.

You can drop off household batteries, free of charge at the following locations:

• Council's Administration Building at Cessnock (please hand to staff at the counter)
• Community Recycling Centre at the Cessnock Waste Management Centre
• Kurri Kurri Library

Bunnings, Battery World stores, Ritchies IGA, Woolworths, Officeworks, Aldi, and Big-W also accept batteries for recycling.

For more information see:

Council Encourages Residents to Responsibly Dispose of Used Batteries | CCC

Needles, syringes, lancets and other injection equipment should be disposed of correctly to minimise infection to others in the community. Sharps should never be disposed of in household waste and recycling bins or flushed down toilets or drains due to the high risk of injury to workers and community members.

Special medical sharps containers can be purchased from selected pharmacies.

You can dispose of sharps waste at a number of chemists and pharmacies in Cessnock (check our guide to safe disposal of community sharps):

• Abermain Pharmacy - 193 Cessnock Road, Abermain
• Branxton Pharmacy - 56 Maaitland St, Branxton
• Cessnock Plaza Pharmacy Cnr Cooper Street and Keene Street, Cessnock
• The Chemist Cessnock - 52A Vincent St, Cessnock
• Priceline Pharmacy - Shop 8. Cnr North Avenue and Darwin Street, Cessnock
• Greta Pharmacy - 104 High St, Greta
• Kurri Pharmacy - 169-173 Lang St Your Discount Chemist, Kurri Kurri

24-hour drop-off facilities are also available at:

• Cessnock Hospital - Bin is located in the carpark off Forster Street entrance
• Kurri Kurri Hospital - Bin is located at the rear down the last driveway of Hospital Street

Further information on sharps and their disposal can be found at NSW Health’s website here.

Agsafe’s pioneering product stewardship program, drumMUSTER has revolutionised sustainable agriculture since 1999 by recycling more than 47 million agricultural chemical containers, diverting close to 50,000 tonnes from landfill, through 700+ locations nationwide.

DrumMUSTER provides a year-round service for eligible agricultural and veterinary chemical containers to be relinquished at the Cessnock Waste Management Centre.

To dispose of eligible containers, please complete this drumMUSTER Application form. If you require further information please contact Waste Admin on (02) 4993 4167 during Council business hours.

For residential and commercial disposal of asbestos:

• Residents can only remove of up to 10m2 of bonded asbestos (or non-friable asbestos are asbestos products made from small portions asbestos and bonded with another compound) from properties. You will need to contact a licensed asbestos removalist for removal of a larger quantity of asbestos material.
• For 10m2 or less, please contact the CWMC on (02) 4993 4366 at least 24 hours prior to disposal. Bookings can be made between 9am - 11:30am and 1pm - 3:30pm. You will need to provide some basic load information including:
  • source of asbestos;
  • type of asbestos;
  • size of the load;
  • contact details; and
  • transporter information.
• Please wet down the asbestos at the source of origin. Double wrap all asbestos waste in at least 200 micron plastic and seal with a heavy duty duct tape.
• All asbestos waste must be labelled 'ABSESTOS WASTE'.
• It is essential to make sure your load is securely loaded and covered for your journey to the CWMC - failing to do so is an offence.
• Present your load for inspection to landfill operational staff.
• Carefully unload all asbestos waste to prevent stirring up or generating dust

Note:  All asbestos loads in excess of 100kg and/or 10m2 (whichever is less) must be registered with the NSW EPA. For further information please see the NSW EPA website here on tracking asbestos and waste locate.

Asbestos waste will be charge at the advertised Special Waste Rates for the applicable financial year. Where asbestos wastes are mixed with other waste, the entire load will be charged at the rate for asbestos.

Failure to comply with asbestos waste requirements is an offence under the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2014. You will be refused disposal if asbestos waste is not brought to site safely.

For more information see:

• Asbestos | CCC
• Asbestos in NSW | Asbestos
• Council Fees and Charges | CCC

Disposal of deceased animals and bulk meat waste is to occur between 9:00am - 11:30am and 1:00pm - 3:30pm. Customers are encouraged to contact staff at the CWMC on wet weather days on (02) 4993 4100 to discuss disposal feasibility.

Deceased animals and bulk meat disposal will be charged at the advertised Special Waste Rates for the applicable financial year.

For more information see:

• Council Fees and Charges | CCC