Cook Shire Council has today introduced new wheelie bin compliance standards to ensure all bins used across the Shire are built to withstand Cooktown’s intense UV, heat and humidity.
Effective immediately, Council will only approve and label wheelie bins that comply with Australian Standard AS-4123 – Two-Wheeled Mobile Garbage Bins. This standard sets national requirements for UV stability, durability, lifting safety and long-term performance, making it the benchmark for bins that can genuinely handle the Australian environment.
During the No Label = No Service rollout in 2025, residents were able to obtain or purchase their own bins, using whatever option suited their household. Many of the bins that weren’t purchased directly through Council appeared suitable during the labelling process; however, real-world use has since shown that some are not meeting performance expectations.with premature cracking, brittleness and warping occurring across several brands.
Council is making it right.
To support the community and ensure a fairness, Council is replacing any labelled, non-AS4123 compliant bins free of charge until 31 March 2026.
This applies to bins that:
- were not purchased directly through Council,
- were labelled by Council during the 2025 audit, and
- do not meet AS4123 requirements.
Mayor Robyn Holmes said the new standards and replacement program reflect Council’s commitment to strengthening the reliability of kerbside waste services.
“Some bins appeared suitable at first, but really haven’t met the performance standards we expected. We’re being upfront about that and fixing it by replacing eligible bins for free and ensuring that all bins going forward meet the Australian Standard,” Cr Holmes said.
“This is about improving service quality and making sure every household has a bin that’s built to last.”
Check your bin today
Residents can easily check if their bin is compliant by looking for the AS4123 marking moulded into the plastic, along with the manufacturer, year of manufacture and bin specifications.
Full details — including how to identify an AS4123 bin and information about the free replacement program — are available on Council’s Better Bins page
For more information, contact Council on (07) 4082 0500 or mail@cook.qld.gov.au.