A better solution for household food waste

Project statusFood waste collection has now begun
Last updatedAugust 2022

Traditionally, our household food waste has gone to landfills, where the Victorian Government charges high fees to accept it. It also produces methane – a harmful greenhouse gas – as it decomposes. We think there's a better way to handle our food waste.

That's why, as of 1 August this year, food waste now goes in your kerbside green-lidded bin with your other green waste. We're collecting this bin every week and taking it to a composting facility, where it will create compost for parks, gardens and farms. We've also modified collection cycles on all our bins to accommodate this change.

What you need to do

Now that 1 August has arrived, here's what you need to do:

Put food waste in your green-lidded bin

Put all your food waste in your green-lidded bin, not your red-lidded bin. Click here for more information on what can go in your green-lidded Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin.

Put your green-lidded bin out every week

Your green-lidded bin is now collected weekly, and your red-lidded and yellow-lidded bins are collected fortnightly.

To check the exact dates for your home when your bins are collected, click here and type in your address.

Why compost food waste?

Putting food waste in your kerbside green-lidded bin will help keep waste costs under control
The Victorian Government charges a tax for every tonne of waste taken to landfill. This landfill tax has doubled from 1 July this year, and will continue to increase every year after that. If we don't reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill, these costs will skyrocket for Council and for ratepayers.

Traditionally, almost 40% of the waste in our red landfill bins has been food waste. Composting this waste doesn't attract landfill taxes, and will help us avoid some of these cost increases. In fact, we expect composting our food waste to save around $50,000 in landfill taxes from the very first year of composting, and this saving is expected to increase over time.

Putting food waste in your kerbside green-lidded bin will reduce your impact on the environment
In a landfill, food rots without oxygen, which creates a potent greenhouse gas called methane. Composting introduces air into the process, which stops methane being created during decomposition, and reduces the climate impact of food waste.

Compost is also useful – we can use it in parks, gardens or farms, and we're even working with Barwon Water to investigate using it to create renewable energy!

Sorting your waste

Here's how to sort your waste now that food waste collection has begun.

Food and green waste (green lid)

What will change:

Put all food waste in this bin
This bin will be collected weekly

What you will put in this bin:

Food waste, including:
- fruit and vegetables
- bread scraps
- meat and dairy products
Certified compostable bags and liners (Look for the label 'AS 4736')
Green waste, including:
- leaves
- flowers
- prunings
- lawn clippings.

Do not put in this bin:

Plastic bags (even if the bag is labelled 'biodegradable')
Cardboard packaging
Plastic packaging on food
Tissues
Paper towel

Click here for a comprehensive list on how to sort waste into this bin.

Recycling (yellow lid)

What will change:

You'll receive a bigger, 240L bin
This bin will be collected fortnightly

What you will put in this bin:

Clean, rigid plastics, including:
- milk, juice and detergent bottles
- yoghurt and ice cream containers
- other plastics numbered 1, 2 or 5 (Check for a symbol in a triangle)
Clean, uncoated paper and cardboard
Metal cans and clean aluminium foil
Glass bottles and jars

Do not put in this bin:

Plastic bags and soft plastics (these can be recycled at RedCycle collection points)
Coated paper, including:
- tetra paks (soy milk or juice boxes)
- takeaway coffee cups and lids
Nappies

Click here for a comprehensive list on how to sort waste into this bin.

Landfill waste (red lid)

What will change:

Do not put food waste in this bin
This bin will be collected fortnightly

What you will put in this bin:

Non-organic waste that cannot be recycled, including:
- polystyrene and foam
- broken crockery and ceramics
- tetra paks (soy milk or juice boxes)
- soft plastics (e.g. plastic bags, food packaging) (these can be taken to RedCycle collection points)
- hard plastic that is not numbered 1, 2 or 5 (Check for a symbol in a triangle)
- rags and clothing
- garden hoses

Do not put in this bin:

Food waste, including:
- fruit and vegetables
- bread scraps
- meat and bones
- dairy products
Chemicals
Batteries (small quantities of household batteries can be disposed at Council offices at 50 Learmonth Street, Queenscliff)
Liquids

Click here for a comprehensive list on how to sort waste into this bin.

Download our new app

Council's new Borough Bins app gives you personalised reminders on what bin to use and when to take your bins out for collection. It's available for free on both iOS and Android phones. Click here to download the app today.

Timeline

March 2022
Learn about the changes that are coming, including what to expect as food waste collection begins in the Borough.

July 2022
Every household will receive a delivery from Council. For most households, this will include a new 240L recycling bin, a mini kitchen caddy for collecting food waste, and an information pack.

August 2022
Waste collection changes begin in the Borough.

Frequently asked questions

When will my bins be collected?
Your green-lidded food and green waste bin will be collected weekly, on the same day of the week as your landfill and recycling bins, which will be collected on alternating fortnights. To check the exact dates for your home when your bins are collected, click here and type in your address.

Why are you changing how often bins are collected?
Food waste forms almost 40% of all household waste, and can smell if not collected regularly. A weekly green bin and fortnightly red bin collection will help handle high food waste volumes and avoid smelly bins, while avoiding charging ratepayers for the high cost of an additional weekly bin collection.

Can I request an additional bin or change the size of my bin?
Yes. You can contact Council to downsize your bins for free, or add additional bins for an annual fee. Click here to learn more about changing your bin sizes.

Can I keep composting at home?
Yes. This service complements home composting by processing foods like meat and dairy, which you probably don't compost at home.

What about glass recycling?
Glass still goes in your yellow recycling bin until further notice. In future years, we'll be adding separate glass recycling in line with Victorian Government mandates, but not at this time.