Following widespread disruption to global recycling markets, the Victorian Government has implemented policies to standardise household waste and recycling services across the state by 2030, this will make our state’s future recycling system more sustainable. 

Rolling out the collection service will enact Council’s obligations under the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy (Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021.

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The new four-stream waste and recycling system is improving how we manage waste and recycling in Victoria. It will see glass, food organics and garden organics (FOGO), mixed recyclables, and household rubbish separated at home. This will achieve better recycling practices, reduce contamination of recyclable resources and contribute to reducing landfill.

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The main changes for households will be in the way we sort our recycling at home.

Glass will no longer be placed in the Yellow bin. Instead, glass will be required to be deposited via a separate collection service, ie a community glass collection point or additional ‘Purple bin’ kerbside service.

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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 using the current ‘recycling all-in’ Yellow Bin. By separating glass effectively, more materials from the comingled recycling ‘Yellow’ bin can be recycled without glass contamination.

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What can go in:

Empty glass jars or bottles from pasta sauce, jam, condiments etc, broken bottles and all alcohol bottles.

What can't go in:

Heavy drinking glasses, windows, light bulbs, perfume, or makeup containers

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Yes, it can. The issue with smashed glass in the Yellow comingled recycling bin is that it contaminates the other recyclable products such as cardboard, making it more difficult or impossible to recycle them. When glass is separated from other recyclables broken glass isn’t a problem.

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Where glass-to-glass recycling is not viable, there is strong demand for recovered glass in the construction sector for a variety of uses including:

• Used to create fire-safe claddings using 83 per cent recycled glass.

• These claddings meet fire safety standards and reduce glass waste.

• Ground recycled glass can replace sand in polymer concrete.

• Glass fines find applications in thermal insulation, concrete aggregate, cement replacement, and lightweight bricks.

• Recycled glass serves as aggregate in concrete and decorative finishes, reducing raw material demand.

These initiatives promote sustainability and a circular economy by reducing the need for other raw materials.

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Each scenario and it's associated percentage increase of rateable charge is estimated based on best practice utilising current business as usual and historical data. The actual costs associated with each scenario may be different than what has been estimated by 2025/26.

The new household waste and recycling system is a key component of the once-in-a-generation reform of Victoria’s waste and recycling sector. It takes time to make sure local infrastructure such as bins, trucks, and processing facilities is in place. Appropriate markets are also needed for recycled products.

The State Government requires the rollout of the standardised four-waste system to be completed by 2030, with a dedicated glass recycling introduced no later than 2027.

Benalla Rural City Council is on track to have glass bins introduced by 2025.

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How materials in each stream are recovered – when and where – will vary depending on your situation.

In urban areas with kerbside collection services, households will likely move to a four-bin system with the introduction of a fourth Purple bin. For households in rural areas Council is investigating the options of glass recycling through drop-off points and/or kerbside services where practical.

Council will consider all options available to ensure there is easy access for all residents within Benalla Rural City to recycle their glass materials. These options may range from feasibility studies into potential kerbside route extensions to the extension of current services at our transfer stations and collection points to suit our rural population that utilise these facilities.

The Victorian Government’s Container Deposit Scheme, managed by Foott is now operating at 22 Irwin Road, Benalla. This provides another resource for the recycling of glass.

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The State Government introduced a Container Deposit Scheme on 1 November 2023 to further help Victorians recycle their beverage containers. It is important to note that only certain glass containers are accepted under this scheme and the Victorian State Government is requiring both schemes be introduced.

• Fruit and vegetable scraps and peelings
• Garden prunings
• Lawn clippings
• Egg and seafood shells
• Meat scraps, bones and seafood
• Tea leaves and coffee grounds
• Cheese and yoghurt
• Spoiled leftovers or any food past use by date
• Paper towels and tissues
• Hair, animal droppings

• Glass jars & bottles*
• Plastic bottles & containers
• Aluminium & steel cans, aerosols, foil
• Milk & juice cartons
• Papers, newspapers, magazines & cardboard boxes
• Pots & pans

*subject to change

• Plastic bags and cling wrap
• Dish clothes and sponges
• Cigarette butts
• Vacuum dust
• Nappies
• Kitty litter
• Rope
• Polystyrene
• Disposable nappies
• Broken items like plates, toys and oven dishes
• Foam
• Light bulbs (wrapped in paper)
• General household waste

The following items can not go in your red-lid general waste bin:

• Hot liquid or ashes
• Oil
• Batteries
• Chemicals, paints and solvents
• Corrosive and flammable items
• Syringes
• Car parts
• Soil, timber bricks and other building materials
• E-waste

You're in the right place!

If you are accessing these FAQs then you are currently looking at the Have Your Say Benalla website. This is where you can fill in a short survey to give us feedback about your needs.

You can also phone Council’s Customer Service team on 03 5762 2600 to access a paper survey.