Your new glass recycling service is here – a small act makes a big impact.
Golden Plains Shire Council is excited about the introduction of the new glass recycling bins that will improve the way residents recycle at home.
Under Victorian Government legislation, all Councils must move to a standard four-bin system: red for general waste, yellow for mixed recycling, purple for glass and lime green for combined food and garden organics.
This change will help ensure more materials can be recovered and recycled, supporting a circular system where glass bottles and jars can be recycled indefinitely.
In line with the changes, Council introduced a new separate purple glass bin in February 2025. At the same time of the introduction of the new purple bin, the frequency of collection for the yellow recycling bin will change from weekly to fortnightly.
Golden Plains Shire residents will soon need to separate their waste and recycling into three streams:
- Glass
- Mixed recyclables
- General waste
Council waste data shows that around 15 per cent of the community’s mixed recycling is made up of glass bottles and jars. By putting glass bottles and jars in a separate bin, more of them can be recycled into new things and quality of other recyclables will be improved.
Council's new glass purple bin service will start from 17 February 2025. Until then, households should keep using the current waste and recycling system as normal.
The new glass bin service aligns with the Victoria Government's mandate for a standardised four-bin waste and recycling kerbside system. This system includes separate bins for general waste, mixed recycling, glass (no later than by 2027), and food and garden organics (no later than by 2030).
The implementation of this four-stream recycling system aims to achieve the goal of diverting 80% of all materials away from landfill by 2030.
Council waste data shows that around 15% of the community’s mixed recycling is made up of glass bottles and jars. By putting glass bottles and jars in a separate bin more of them can be recycled into new things and quality of other recyclables will be improved.
Glass bins have now been delivered to residents and businesses of Golden Plains Shire.
The new glass purple bin service is scheduled to start on 17 February 2025. Until then, households should keep using the current waste and recycling system as normal.
Your glass recycling bin will be collected every four weeks. A collection calendar has been delivered together with your new bin.
The calendar is also available online here.
A 140 Litre glass bin is the standard size delivered to households.
The bin size was chosen based on several factors:
- Council took into consideration the benchmark set by other Councils that have already implemented glass bins.
- Considering the rural nature of the shire, we opted for a 140L bin as it provides sturdiness and stability on uneven surfaces.
- The collection contractor has advised that a larger bin would be more suitable during collection to prevent overflowing and potential spillage of glass.
Having space to store a new bin might be a concern for some residents but placing glass in the recycling bin is no longer an option. You cannot opt out of the glass bin service, even if you choose not to use the bin.
You know your property best and may need to re-assess or reconfigure your current bin storage to accommodate a new bin.
The glass-only bin will be collected every 4 weeks, so it doesn’t need to be as accessible as your other bins, and it might be easier to store it somewhere else on your property.
Accepted items: All glass bottles and jars that are commonly used in the household will need to be placed inside the glass bin.
Remove all lids before placing them in your glass recycling bin. Plastic lids larger than a credit card and metal lids can be recycled in the yellow-lid recycling bin. All other lids should be disposed of in the general waste bin.
Not accepted items: Drinking glass, Pyrex, ceramics and light bulbs.
Council has developed waste education materials that were delivered to you along with your new bin and will also be made available on this website closer to the start of the service. These materials outline the specific items that can and cannot be placed in the glass-only bin, ensuring proper waste disposal and recycling practices.
If you require an additional glass bin, there is an additional rate for the additional service.
The additional charge for an additional glass service is $111.75 per bin.
- Residential properties are allowed a maximum of one additional glass bin. Apply here.
- Commercial properties are allowed to apply for more than one additional glass bin. Apply here.
If you wish to apply for an additional glass service, please contact Customer Experience on 5220 7111 or email [email protected].
No, you cannot opt-out of the glass collection service.
This new service is mandated by the Victorian State Circular Economy Act (2021).
Please note, if you decide to not use the service, you will still pay for the service through your waste management charge.
Finally, from 17 February you will no longer be able to place glass in your recycling bin. Please be aware that glass found in the yellow commingled recycling bin would be seen as contamination and may result in further action by Council. Your bin may not be collected or may be an infringement under Local Law for repeat offences.
The collection frequency of the general waste bin will remain the same: fortnightly.
The collection frequency of the recycling bin will change from weekly to fortnightly starting the week of Monday 3 February 2025.
- This is to align with the standard service provided by all other Councils in Victoria (recycling bins are 240L, collected every fortnight).
- The presentation rate (how many properties are placing their recycling bins out every week) was around 60% when recycling was collected weekly. This means that there was an opportunity to improve the efficiency of commingled recycling collection services to better meet the needs of community.
If a resident finds that they need extra capacity for the recycling material:
- Best practice is to place all cardboard flat inside the bin.
- Place all items loose.
- Residents can apply for an additional recycling bin service for an additional fee.
The Victorian Government is standardising household waste and recycling services across the state.
As part of this standardisation, the bin lid colours will need to be consistent across all councils:
- Red for general waste
- Yellow for mixed recycling
- Purple for glass
- Lime green for Food Organics Green Organics (FOGO).
All new general waste bins delivered to residents have red lids. However, some properties might have a general waste bin with a dark green lid or a maroon lid, as these were the previously acceptable colours for general waste.
Existing general waste bins with a dark green or a maroon lid can continue to be used for general waste.
The waste management charge for FY24/25 is $447.00. This is an increase of $20.00 (4.68%) from FY23/24.
The cost for an additional service for FY24/25 is $223.50 per bin.
The cost for an additional glass service for FY24/25 is $111.75 per bin.
Golden Plains Shire Council is partnering with Barwon Water and other five local councils in the Regional Renewable Organics Network (RRON) project, which involves the construction of an organics processing facility.
The introduction of FOGO bins will align with the operational start of the RRON facility, which is anticipated to take place in 2027.
For further details and updates on this project, we encourage you to visit The Regional Renewable Organics Network at Black Rock | Your Say Barwon Water.
All new bins delivered to residents now include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags.
RFID is used across a range of industries including transport and logistics, finance and retail. RFID is how myki cards work so you can access public transport, as well as vehicle toll tags. Using RFID is now also a standard practice in the waste industry.
The RFID is only currently used to match individual bins to a specific address, which helps track bin delivery providing a record that a bin has been delivered to a property. There is currently no other use of RFID with the new bins.
The Introduction of the CDS Vic has no impact on the way you can use your recycling bins at home. You may choose to take eligible containers to a refund point, but there is no obligation to do so.
Glass containers that are eligible for a refund in the CDS are those that are most found as litter in our streets, beaches, waterways and parks across Victoria. They are the type of beverage containers you might consume ‘on the go’ when you are outside, or away from home. Victoria‘s Container Deposit Scheme | Find Eligible Containers (cdsvic.org.au)
The containers that aren’t accepted contain products most commonly used in the home.
While residents can now also recycle some glass bottles through Victoria’s new Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), the kerbside glass recycling service will provide an avenue to recycle glass jars and larger glass bottles not accepted through the scheme, creating a comprehensive and effective approach to recycling and sustainability.
To find out the eligibility and refund points under the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) please visit Container Deposit Scheme - Victoria | Golden Plains Shire Council
Council is also planning for the introduction of the new lime green Food Organics Green Organics (FOGO) bin to align with timings for the Barwon Water Regional Renewable Organics Network (RRON) facility expected to become operational in 2027.
For more information, please visit: yoursay.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/rron.