Rethinking recycling and waste

Brimbank households could move to a new four-bin waste and recycling collection — potentially saving more than 17,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year.

It’s estimated up to 40 per cent of Brimbank household rubbish is food waste, which currently goes to landfill.

In 2019/2020, Council collected 43,951 tonnes of garbage from 70,728 households. That’s 17,580 tonnes that could potentially have been turned into garden compost.

When buried in landfill, food waste decomposes without oxygen, creating methane gas which contributes to global warming.

Separating glass from other recycling would also make recycling more efficient, and allow more glass to be recovered for recycling.

Under the current system about 30 per cent of glass cannot be recovered and broken glass fragments cause problems for other recycled materials.

Under the State Government’s Circular Economy Policy released in February 2020, all Victorian councils must introduce Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection for all households by 2030, and separate glass recycling collection by 2027.

In order to move to the new system Brimbank Council will consider:

  • a new weekly FOGO collection
  • a new monthly glass recycling collection.

Earlier this year, Council considered potential options for Brimbank to transition to a four-bin collection ahead of that deadline.

Further details including timing, structure and cost of a new collection service is still to be considered by Council.

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Copyright © Brimbank City Council

Brimbank City Council acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of this land, the Wurundjeri People, and pays our respects to Elders past and present.