In response to the export ban and the impacts it has had on the global recycling market, the Victorian Government developed a 10-year action plan in February 2020 to reform Victoria’s waste and recycling industry, Recycling Victoria: A New Economy.  

This policy outlines: 

• The benefits of a circular economy
• Four-bin household system
• Container Deposit Scheme
• FAQs

Circular Economy

We are moving away from the traditional linear model of ‘make, use and dispose’, and moving towards a circular system, a model of ‘production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible’. 

We are committed to supporting the community and businesses to reduce waste to landfill and increase the use of materials that can be reused, repaired, repurposed or recycled and boosting local circular economy activities and jobs. 

By 2030, the Victorian Government aims to divert 80 per cent of all waste from landfill. This will see a large investment in local recycling infrastructure and is projected to create 3,900 jobs. 

For more information visit, Victoria's plan for a circular economy. 

Four-bin Household System

By 2030, all Victorian households will have access to the four-stream waste and recycling service. These include:  

• Garbage bin (red lid) 
• Commingled recycling bin (yellow lid) 
• Food organics and garden organics (FOGO) bin (lime-green lid) 
• Glass bin (purple lid) 

Bin sizes and collection frequency will vary, depending on each Council’s local circumstances.  

For more information visit, Victoria’s four-stream waste and recycling system. 

Container Deposit Scheme

Victoria’s container deposit scheme (CDS) is set to commence 1 November 2023. The scheme will reward Victorians with a 10-cent refund for every eligible can, carton and bottle they return.  

CDS Vic will provide shared benefits to the community, environment and economy by delivering: 

• more and better recycling 
• less waste - old containers become new ones 
• less litter - cut by up to half 
• hundreds of new jobs and economic opportunities across Victoria 
• a cleaner, greener state. 

For more information, visit the Victorian Government's website.  

If you are a sports club, hardware store, opportunity shop or would like to be a collection refund point in Whitehorse contact VISY.