Bulky waste collection to be available in every Canberra suburb by July

The rollout has been fast-tracked and will be available in Belconnen from April before it is expanded across the rest of the city from July.

City Services Minister Chris Steel said the more than 600 tonnes of material had been collected since the program started in July last year.

"Canberra's bulky waste collection service started in July last year in Tuggeranong and Gungahlin and I am pleased that the wider Canberra community will be able to access the service earlier than the initial rollout schedule," he said.

"By mid-2021 all Canberra households will be able to take advantage of a free bulky waste collection each year of up to two cubic metres of items such as old furniture and household appliances."

The scheme has been substantially fast-tracked as it was initially to be rolled out in Belconnen, Hall and Molongo in 2021-22 followed by Woden and Weston Creek in 2023 and the inner-north and inner-south by 2024.

Furniture, timber, scrap metal, applicances and electrical equipment were the most popular items to leave curbside.

Forde, Bonner, Gowrie, Conder, Fadden, Macarthur, Theodore, Amaroo, Wanniassa and Calwell residents used the service more than others.

Mr Steel said almost 40 per cent of items left for collection were able to be rehomed including furniture, bikes and gardening equipment.

Contractor, Suez, has partnered with charities GIVIT, The Salvation Army, Vinnies and others to take items that can be saved from the skip and sold at stores or given to people in need.

Mr Steel in the past seven months thousands of items have been saved from bulky waste collection.

In the past three months more than 1,800 pieces of furniture, 400 appliances, 275 electrical items and 250 pieces of outdoor equipment have been rescued.

"Not only does this arrangement ensure vulnerable Canberrans have what they need, it also diverts waste from landfill," Mr Steel said.

"Waste is something we create when we don't use resources to their full potential and some of the bulky items people no longer have a use for in their homes have a new purpose to serve."

Once the bulky waste collection service comes online in each region residents will be able to book their free collection on the website or over the phone.