More Than Bins

‘Unlike many companies that have disappeared into larger national organisations, MAMS has remained proudly local.’ Photo supplied

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‍How One North Queensland Family Business Has Grown With Its Community

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For nearly half a century, MAMS Group has quietly been doing one of the jobs most of us never think about – until it isn't done.

From collecting household rubbish to helping businesses navigate an increasingly complex world of recycling and environmental compliance, MAMS has become part of everyday life across North Queensland.

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What began as a small family business founded by Brian and Bernice Day has grown into one of North Queensland's largest locally owned waste and recycling companies. Today, the second generation of the family works alongside the founders, continuing the values that built the business nearly 50 years ago: hard work, genuine service and supporting the communities that support them. Over the years, MAMS has expanded from its Ingham base to establish operations across Townsville, Tully, Innisfail and Cairns, while remaining proudly family owned and committed to regional Queensland.  

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Unlike many companies that have disappeared into larger national organisations, MAMS has remained proudly local. That means local decisions, local jobs and local suppliers. Every dollar spent with local contractors helps strengthen the regional economy and keeps investment where it belongs, in North Queensland.

That local knowledge has never been more valuable.

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Businesses today face increasing pressure to reduce landfill, improve recycling and comply with changing environmental expectations. For many business owners, understanding new waste requirements can be confusing, time-consuming and costly.

Rather than simply collecting waste, MAMS works alongside businesses to review their waste streams, identify recycling opportunities and develop smarter collection systems. In many cases, those changes not only help businesses meet evolving environmental obligations but also reduce disposal costs and improve operational efficiency.

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Josh Lannen, General Manager and Board Member at MAMS Group, who also serves on the Board of the Waste and Recycling Industry of Queensland (WRIQ), says the role of waste management has changed dramatically over the past decade.  

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"Waste management has changed dramatically over the past decade. Businesses are facing new expectations around recycling and resource recovery, and we're helping them navigate those changes with solutions that are practical, compliant and cost-effective."

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Community has always been just as important as commercial success.

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Through the MAMS Groups participation in the Containers for Change scheme, MAMS has helped return more than $5 million to local schools, sporting clubs, charities and community organisations while collecting more than 255 million containers that might otherwise have ended up in landfill or waterways.  

Schools have funded new equipment, sporting clubs have purchased uniforms, and community groups have raised thousands of dollars through container drives – all made possible by a recycling program that turns everyday waste into meaningful community support.

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Today, MAMS employs around 60 North Queensland locals who deliver reliable waste and recycling services across homes, councils and businesses throughout the region. But for the Day family and the wider MAMS team, success has never been measured simply by the number of bins collected.

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It's measured by the communities they help keep clean, the businesses they help grow, the local jobs they create and the partnerships they've built over almost five decades.

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As North Queensland continues to grow and sustainability becomes an increasingly important part of doing business, MAMS Group remains committed to helping local businesses and communities build a cleaner, smarter and more sustainable future, together.

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