Jindabyne Landfill Transition Project
Project Location: Jindabyne
Current Project update: April 2025
Jindabyne Landfill has reached capacity and has commenced transitioning to a transfer station operating model from Friday 28 March 2025.
This means that the facility will remain open and continue operating, but there are some important changes to be aware of that come into effect later this month.
For commercial customers and business operators:
- Large quantities of commercial waste and recycling are no longer accepted. Commercial loads above 1m3 must be taken to Cooma Landfill
- All Jindabyne commercial accounts will be accepted at Cooma Landfill
- Cooma Landfill is located at 8448 Monaro Hwy, Cooma
For residents:
- Additional skip bins have been installed within the former recycling drop-off area for waste disposal
- Domestic waste, larger than 1m3 can continue to be disposed of at Jindabyne in the transfer bins.
- When dropping off, unload your waste (general rubbish, non-recyclable) and co-mingled recycling directly into the designated skip bins provided
- Staff will be on-hand to assist you with the new setup
This will be a temporary solution during the interim period while SMRC works on developing a suitable long-term plan for Jindabyne, including support for Resource Recovery and the acceptance of larger volumes of commercial waste.
Frequently asked questions
Is the tip closing?
No, the tip is not closing.
The landfill has reached capacity, however we have implemented an interim solution to transition the landfill to a waste transfer station earlier than anticipated. This has allowed domestic services to continue.
What has stopped at Jindabyne?
Bulk, unseparated commercial waste greater than 1m3 will no longer be accepted at Jindabyne.
Commercial waste, greater than 1m3 will now have to be disposed of at the Cooma Landfill.
Can commercial separated waste continue at Jindabyne?
Yes, Commercial recycling, green waste, concrete, tyres, mattresses, oil, scrap metal, demolition rubble, degassed whitegoods, can continue to be disposed of at Jindabyne.
Regarding domestic, there are no changes to community recycling centre
- Paint (oil and water based)
- Gas bottles and fire extinguishers
- Household and car batteries
In addition to the above, the ScrapMart service continues as normal.
Can I still take domestic waste loads larger than 1m3 to Jindabyne?
Yes, we are aware of the need to facilitate this for our rural property owners that do not have waste collection services.
Customers should be mindful that hand unloading into the waste bins is still required.
Will my commercial account at Jindabyne work at Cooma?
What can the community do to help?
The community can significantly help our waste issue by separating their waste.
- Recyclables in the recycling bin, which will be right next to the waste bin.
- Concrete in the concrete drop off area.
This will significantly reduce the amount of waste into landfill.
Won’t this increase Cooma demand and close Cooma earlier?
The more our residents and businesses can separate their waste and recycling, the longer landfills will last.
This is a national problem, not just a local issue.
This being said, Council estimate, the lifespan of Cooma Landfill to be 30 years (through the Snowy Monaro Waste Management Strategy 2021(PDF, 3MB) ).
Is there someone I can talk to?
Our resource and waste team are happy to answer your questions and take your feedback. Please contact them via phone or email.
P 1300 345 345
E council@smrc.nsw.gov.au
Why are moving to a transfer station in Jindabyne?
This transition is in line with EPA strategies, like the:
- NSW EPA Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy (WASM) 2041
- Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) Mandate 2030
- reducing total waste generated by 10% per person by 2030
The transfer of waste from Jindabyne to Cooma Landfill is in line with NSW EPA Landfill Consolidation Waste Strategy.
Changing from a landfill to a transfer station also helps our community move in the right direction to better protect our unique and sensitive environment.