There is an increasing awareness in the community that everyone can play an important part in reducing the impact of waste disposal on our environment – reduce, recycle, reuse.

Gunnedah Shire Council is committed to reducing waste to landfill and provides a range of services to assist residents in the disposal of household waste, greenwaste, recycling and chemical drums. Council provides a three bin kerbside waste collection service to residential customers in Gunnedah to support its waste management program. The three bins service greenwaste (green lid), garbage (red lid) and recyclables (yellow lid).

Waste collection services are also provided to the villages of Carroll and Curlewis as well as the rural environs of Gunnedah. This kerbside service is supported by rural waste facilities at Carroll and Curlewis, waste transfer centres at Breeza, Kelvin, Tambar Springs and Mullaley plus the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility, Quia Road Gunnedah.

Gunnedah Shire Council is actively introducing initiatives such as placing CCTV cameras in littering 'hotspots' in an effort to deter this behaviour. Council supports program such as Clean up Australia Day and local Landcare groups, and promotes community participation.