The Gloucester region collection runs from Monday August 6 to Friday August 17, with piles to be on the kerbside ready for collection from Monday, as the trucks won’t come back for late pick-ups.

There are guidelines for what kind of waste can be placed out, and how you place it on the footpath, so it's essential to read up and make sure you're doing the right thing.

The first thing to consider is whether your unwanted items could be re-used by someone else. You'll be doing the planet a favour if you drop them to your local tip shop or charity store instead of putting them on the bulky waste collection pile.

Residents are required to sort their waste items prior to placing out for collection, with scrap metal and whitegoods in one pile, and general waste in another.

Common waste items that won’t be accepted in the pick-up include wire-spring mattresses, electronic waste such as TVs or computers, and glass items such as glass table tops or old windows. And you can’t place out old oil heaters - as they contain oil, they're not suitable for collection.

Most hazardous items can be taken to the landfill and dropped off for free. And from August 6 - 17, you can take your mattresses to the Gloucester landfill at 385 Thunderbolts Way and drop them for free too.

If there are items left behind on the kerbside after the collection, it is your responsibility to take them to the landfill.

To brush up on the guidelines, visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Bins-and-Waste/Bulky-Waste-clean-up and watch the video. Follow MidCoast Council’s Facebook page to stay updated. For more information, call the MidCoast Waste Hotline on 1300 290 763.