Nearly 25,000 Victorians have spoken, and the message is loud and clear: they don’t want a costly fourth bin for glass recycling.

A recent statewide survey led by 35 councils found overwhelming opposition to the proposed, purple-lidded glass-only bin, with 83% of respondents against its introduction.

The survey also found that 91% support expanding the Container Deposit Scheme to include glass wine and spirit bottles.

In the City of Whitehorse the local sentiment mirrors what people are saying across Victoria.

More than 1000 Whitehorse residents had their say, with 91% against adding the glass-only bin, and 92% wanting the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) to start taking glass wine and spirit bottles,   

The Victorian Government requires local councils to roll out a separate glass-only kerbside service by July 2027. But independent modelling shows this would cost a typical council around $4 million to introduce with ongoing operational costs of $27 per household each year. 

With strong community opposition and significant costs, 35 councils have joined forces to call for a more practical, cost-effective solution and urging the state government to reconsider the July 2027 deadline.

Speaking on behalf of the councils, Councillor Jim Grivas, Mayor of Manningham said the results reflect what councils are hearing on the ground. 

“Our communities have been clear - they don’t want a separate glass-only bin. They want a smarter solution through an expanded Container Deposit Scheme that includes wine and spirit bottles,” Cr Grivas said. 

Whitehorse Mayor Kirsten Langford said the survey data formalises what Whitehorse residents have told Council as part of a 4-bin consultation at the end of 2025. 

“Our residents have told us they don’t have enough glass to justify a separate bin, many don’t have space on their property to store a fourth bin and they don’t want the extra trucks and collections. The solution is clear- listen to what residents are saying and expand the Container Deposit Scheme” the Mayor said. 

The state government has previously pointed to a business case on kerbside glass recycling to support its mandate. Councils are asking for this to be released to enable transparent comparison with the independent economic modelling commissioned by councils in 2025. 

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