Households are set for a fourth bin in 2027, after Greater Dandenong Council endorsed the introduction of a purple-lid bin for glass recycling.
Ratepayers are expected to be charged on average $13 per household per year for the new 120-litre bins, which will be delivered to an estimated 56,000 households between April-May 2027.
Households that receive a private waste service are not included.
The bins would be collected every four weeks, with the council seeking to ensure no more than two bins being put out for collection each week.
The move was required under State Government policy, which mandates all councils to provide a separate glass service by 1 July 2027. It’s part of a standardized waste collection system across the state.
The aim of the glass bin is to reduce recycling-waste contamination and hence, the amounts diverted to landfill.
Often glass breaks in co-mingled recycling bins and contaminates paper and cardboard, making them ‘unrecyclable’, a council report stated.
The glass service would complement the State Government’s Container Deposit Scheme, which only accepts certain glass containers for 10-cent refunds, the report stated.
Glass containers make up about 30 per cent of kerbside recycling bin content in Greater Dandenong.
Greater Dandenong estimates that the glass bin service will cost $13 million over the first seven years.
This covers the cost of bin supply and delivery, as well as collecting and processing the glass.
There may be savings from reduced waste-facility gate fees and contamination charges, according to a council report.
Greater Dandenong has stated it will publish more information on the transition to the public.
“We are committed to environmental sustainability, and we will educate, inform and support our residents during the introduction of this service while meeting our obligations as mandated by the Victorian Government,” city futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam said.
There are no proposed changes to the weekly red general rubbish bin and yellow mixed recycling and green food and garden waste bin collection services at this stage, the council stated.
