Victorians are one step closer to a comprehensive four bin recycling system, with $127 million available to support all 79 Victorian councils to buy new bins, improve drop-off facilities, deliver education campaigns, and ensure that they have the infrastructure in place to roll out these reforms.
The state government funding will support Victorian councils to transition to the new statewide household waste and recycling system, including delivering a new purple bin to households for separate glass recycling.
Glass, when mixed with other recyclable materials, shatters and contaminates valuable, easy-to-recycle materials such as paper and cardboard. This reduces these materials’ quality and ability to be recycled.
By separating glass effectively, more materials from the co-mingled bin can also be recycled.
“We are working hand in hand with councils to ensure they have the resources they need to roll out these reforms in every corner of the state,” says Lily D’Ambrosio, minister for energy, environment and climate change.
“By collecting glass separately, we can make sure more of it is effectively recycled – with jars and bottles transformed multiple times into multiple products.
“We know all Victorians want to be able to do more to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and use resources wisely – this funding helps to do exactly that.”
Councils will share in more than $86 million to deliver the new four bin services with standardised bin-lid colours, making it easier for Victorians to recycle.
An additional $40.9 million will support councils, business and communities maximise recycling, creating new jobs, and supporting local manufacturing.
In particular, this funding will also make sure the country’s regional communities are ready for these reforms, with improved drop-off facilities at resource recovery centres to collect food organics, garden organics and glass.
In partnership with councils, the Victorian government will deliver a reliable and consistent statewide recycling system through better household recycling, improved infrastructure, and stronger industry regulation.
The Victorian government has provided $515 million to deliver the biggest transformation and reform of Victoria’s waste and recycling system in the states’ history.
In what was seen as a major infrastructure support for Victoria's recycling transformation, packaging and recycling giant Visy recently announced a $35 million upgrade of its Laverton glass recycling centre.
The proposed upgrade is expected to create 92 jobs during construction and a further six ongoing positions once completed. It will double the centre’s recycling capacity from 100,000 tonnes of glass each year to 200,000 – equivalent to 150 glass bottles recycled for every Victorian every year.
