Legal deadline looming over a mandatory $316 million glass bin launch in Victoria

There are 14 months left for 37 councils to introduce a separate system.

Matthew Sims
April 29, 2026

Eastern Melbourne homeowners are anxiously waiting to see how the next year will play out, as councils engage in a game of chicken over a government-mandated glass recycling bin.

⌛️ Time running out: All councils must introduce a separate glass recycling service by July 1, 2027, or breach legislation passed in 2021.

So far, 42 of Victoria’s 79 councils have adopted the system.

Several eastern councils — including Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse, Monash, Yarra Ranges and Boroondara — remain opposed, instead calling for the state’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) to be extended to all glass waste.

Since November 2023, Victoria’s CDS has allowed residents to return eligible drink containers, including some glass bottles like beer and cider, for a 10-cent refund. Other glass bottles, including wine and spirits bottles, have remained ineligible.

Why more than 30 councils are blocking glass recycling bins over multi-million dollar bill burdens

Councils across Melbourne’s east are defying the upcoming state-mandated glass recycling rollout, warning it could cost them millions and push up household rates.

💲 Part of the way: A Victorian Government spokesperson said the glass bin would complement the Container Deposit Scheme by allowing disposal of ineligible items through kerbside collection.

“We’ve invested $129 million to help councils to reform household recycling, including to buy new bins, improve drop off facilities, deliver education campaigns, and ensuring that they have the infrastructure in place to roll out the four bin system,” said the spokesperson.

The Eastern Melburnian asked how the state would enforce the mandate but did not receive a response.

Glass bins and high-rise housing: What to take away from Whitehorse Council’s marathon four-hour April meeting

Big developments, local petitions and a controversial glass bin rollout were among the items.

💰 Falling short: Independent modelling, which examined 22 separate councils on behalf of Victorian councils, found introducing a glass‑only kerbside recycling service would incur a cost of about $4 million per council, adding an average $27 annual charge per household.

At this rate, the total cost would reach $316 million, with each council needing to fund about $2.36 million from their own accounts.

🪙 Is it worth it? The director of waste and circular economy advocacy group Boomerang Alliance, Jeff Angel, said a separate glass bin was “unnecessary”, calling instead for the government to consider expanding the state’s Container Deposit Scheme to include all glass and increase the refund to 20 cents.

🗣️ “The cost that the council will impose for having a purple bin will be applied to all ratepayers, whether they use a lot of glass containers or not,” Angel told the Eastern Melburnian.