Why timber can't go in the green bin

Published on 26 March 2026

Green bin myth-busting time: did you know treated timber can't go in your food and garden waste bin?

Timber, sleepers and wood packaging are often treated with chemicals like pesticides or painted, which contaminates the compost.

Only small pieces of natural, garden wood (like small branches and sticks) can go into your green bin.

Larger logs also can't go in the green bin - even if they're untreated, they're too large to break down in the composting process.

What to do with treated timber instead

To dispose of timber, take it to the Monash Recycling and Waste Centre (accepted as general waste, fees apply).

You can also store it at home for a future hard waste collection.

Small amounts of cut up timber can also go in the landfill (red-lid) bin.

Watch our video to see how the contents of your green bin are turned into compost.