Brimbank is proposing a four-bin model to reduce our environmental footprint.
Your feedback will help us decide on how we manage waste collection in the future.
Firstly, why do we need four bins?
The Circular Economy Policy was released in February 2020. The State Government Circular Economy Policy requires that all Victorian councils must:
- introduce food and garden organics for all households by 2030
- and a separate glass recycling collection by 2027.
Additionally, the Waste Reduction and Recycling Bill (passed in 2021) requires Councils to use standardised bin lid colours and provide the four-bin waste service.
The standard four-bin waste and recycling collection service model includes:
- Red lid bin for rubbish
- Purple lid bin for glass
- Yellow lid bin for recycling, and
- Green lid bin for food organics and garden organics (FOGO)
So, how will Brimbank implement the four-bin model?
The four-bin model gives us a great opportunity to improve our recycling efforts and reduce waste going to landfill.
This is why we are seeking to introduce changes to our waste collection service well ahead of the mandatory State Government requirements.
Our proposed model would move local households to a new four-bin service during the 2023/2024 financial year. Council endorsed this proposal at its December 2021 meeting.
This means that sometime before any changes come in, all households will be provided with:
- a green bin if you don’t already have one, and
- a purple bin.
Briefly, Brimbank Council’s proposed four-bin collection service includes:
- a new weekly Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection
- a new monthly glass recycling collection
- a fortnightly collection of garbage
- garbage bin lid changed to red, and
- ongoing fortnightly recycling collection.
These proposed changes to Council’s waste services will:
- improve recycling
- increase diversion from landfill, and
- minimise the municipality’s environmental footprint.
The proposed model would begin within 12 months from July 2023.
Why change collection from weekly to fortnightly?
Food alone makes up about 50 per cent of the waste in most garbage bins. By using the FOGO green lid bin for food scraps, there will be less rubbish that needs to go to landfill.
We all have a responsibility to do the right thing for our environment, and this is an easy way we can all contribute to a more sustainable future.
Waste collection is a service that almost all residents in Brimbank use, so it is important that we get feedback on the proposed changes.
Your feedback is important. Have your say!
Consultation is currently underway. We want to hear from as many people as possible because this proposal is a significant change to our service.
For more information and to complete a survey about the proposed changes please visit:
yoursay.brimbank.vic.gov.au/sortingitout
Don’t GET FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) of FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics)
Many Councils across Victoria have already introduced FOGO into their collections. Brimbank is planning to introduce FOGO for existing green waste customers from July this year.
Currently, Green waste is an opt-in service. This means if you use Council’s green waste service, then from the middle of the year you will also be able to dispose of household food scraps in your bin (green lid).
More information on the changes to this service will be sent to existing users by addressed mail in the coming months.
Visit the Brimbank City Council website for more information about green waste.
Read more Brimbank news about the environment here.
