Frequently Asked Questions - bin changes

From Monday 4 July 2022:

• food and green waste bins will be emptied weekly
• general waste bins will be emptied fortnightly

There are no changes to recycling or hard waste collections.

Detailed information about the switch will be sent to every household, business, and property in Bayside in May/June.

To reduce waste

Since launching our food and green waste service three years ago, Bayside’s landfill waste has dropped to the lowest levels on record – but we can still do more.

Reducing waste ending up in landfill is important because:

• Food scraps and garden waste are valuable resources that can be recycled into a high-quality compost to be used in local farms, parks, and gardens.
• Decomposing food in landfill emits a damaging greenhouse gas (methane) into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. 
• Victoria is running out of landfill space which is driving up the cost to dispose of waste. This cost is passed directly onto ratepayers via the waste charge on your rates notice. By making this change, we’re helping minimise future cost increases.

Residents asked us to make the switch

Over 83% of Bayside households now have a food and green waste bin and recycle food scraps which get turned into compost.

Many of these residents have asked for weekly collection to reduce issues of smell and mess, and because their general waste bin doesn't fill up as quickly with recyclables and food waste going into the correct bins. 

By making the switch to when the food and green waste and general waste bins are collected, we can reduce our general waste by up to 25%.

We know this because we're not the first council to make the switch. We're joining 16 other Victorian councils that have already made the bin collection switch successfully.

From community consultation we undertook in 2021, we know that fortnightly household rubbish collection will be a challenge for some, particularly those who are yet to take up the food and green waste service.

In May/June, we will be posting out detailed information about the changes to all households, businesses and properties including a booklet and an updated waste calendar. 

In June we will be holding a range of events where you can speak to us in person. Dates and details of events will be updated soon.

 Events include:

• Online information and Q&A sessions
• Face to face pop-ups in various locations
• Drop-in sessions at the libraries and council office

Households with specific waste needs

We’re offering free service provisions to support households with specific and unavoidable waste needs to make the switch more equitable.

• Large households with six or more members
• Households with two or more children in nappies
• People living with a disability and their carers
• People with a chronic condition and their carers

Eligible households are entitled to one of the following options:

• Upsize to a 140L or a 240L general waste bin
• An additional bin (80L, 140L, 240L) general waste bin
• Up to three 80L general waste bin (Where an 80L bin is the most suitable due to a person's ability to manoeuvre a large waste bin)

Other households

After trying your best to minimise general waste, you may need a different bin size to accommodate the change in collection.

• Request an additional or larger bin (cost added to rates)
  Households that are not in any of the eligible groups but require additional waste capacity are able to request an additional or larger bin with the cost added to their rates.
• Upsize to the standard 140L bin (revert to standard rate)
  Households who have downsized their bin to 80L and currently pay a reduced cost will be able to upsize to the standard 140L size, which will revert to the standard rate.

We understand that some households may want to order a smaller, larger or additional bin to adequately manage the amount of waste they produce. 

Click here to request a change to your bins

We are encouraging residents to see how they go with the changes before ordering an upgrade or additional bin. 

If you would like to discuss your waste needs, contact us at binchanges@bayside.vic.gov.au or call 9599 4444. 

We understand that some households may want to order a smaller, larger or additional bin to adequately manage the amount of waste they produce. 

Click here to request a change to your bins

More than 4,200 community members provided their feedback on the changes to Bayside’s kerbside bin collection schedule in May – July 2021.

We wanted to know how different households were feeling and how we could support those with specific waste needs to make the switch. Find out more about what our community told us.

The change to collections frequency is aimed at encouraging more recycling of food waste in order to further reduce our landfill volumes and safeguard residents from future cost increases. It will not mean a reduction in waste charges passed onto residents as charges to dispose of waste continue to rise.

Waste charges are separate to your annual rates charges and itemised on your rates notice. Waste costs are passed on directly to ratepayers and this year the Victorian Government landfill levy is increasing by 60%. We expect similar future increases as tips are filling up and very few new landfill sites are available or being approved by the State Government.

For the 83% of Bayside households using the food and green waste service, the total number of waste collections will remain the same. As food and green waste bins are generally larger than general waste bins, these residents will actually increase their weekly waste capacity.

For residents who are not using the food and green waste recycling service, we strongly encourage you to consider registering for food and green waste.

If your apartment building or block of units uses Council waste services, yes.

To find out if your apartment building or block of units uses Council waste services, check whether there is a Bayside City Council logo on your bins.

It may be beneficial to discuss your overall bin needs with your neighbours and plan to switch a general waste bin for another food and green waste bin closer to Monday 4 July 2022.

Council also offers a range of bin sizes: a 140L and 80L general waste, and a 240L and 120L food and green waste and recycling.

To swap your bin sizes, you can call 9599 4444 or email enquiries@bayside.vic.gov.au 

Type in your address and look up your bin collection day. 

Bin Collection Day lookup

The food and green waste bin will be collected weekly from Monday, 4 July 2022.

This bin accepts all food scraps and garden waste as well as paper towel, newspaper, and tissues and is turned into a high-quality compost to be used on farms, parks, and gardens. 

Find out more about what happens to food and green waste

Two bin sizes are available for food and green waste

• 240 litre - standard size for current food and green waste bins and the same size as the standard blue-lidded recycling bins
• 120 litre - slightly smaller than standard size for household rubbish bins

This service is a one-off charge of $99 and is not added to your rates.

You will receive a brand new bin for your food and green waste, a kitchen caddy, a 150-bag roll of compostable liners, and some information to help you get started. 

Order a food and green waste bin

All current users of the food and green waste service pay a one-off cost of $99 for their food and green waste bin, kitchen caddy and compostable bags. This charge covers the cost of getting started.

The compostable bags are available for purchase at Council’s Corporate Centre in Royal Avenue, Sandringham, and all Bayside libraries. 

Many supermarkets and hardware stores now have them in stock as well and although they are a different brand, as long they carry the Australian Standard 4736 logo (see image below), you can be certain they are the correct bags for the Food and Green Waste bin. Look for the 8 litre capacity ones if you want them to fit in your kitchen caddy.

Another option is to have a look online as you can sometimes find them a little cheaper – search ‘AS 4736 Compostable Bags’

Alternatively, newspaper can act as a sustainable and low-cost alternative or some residents don’t use bags at all.

Yes, for a one-off cost of $99, tenants can register for food and green waste.

All users of the food and green waste service pay a one-off charge for their food and green waste bin, kitchen caddy and compostable bags. This charge covers the cost of getting started.

The food and green waste collected from Bayside households is sent to an organics facility to go through a treatment process and transformed into high-grade compost which is used by Victorian farmers.

Find out more about what happens to your food and green waste.

More than 50% of the average Bayside general waste bin is food waste, which can be recycled via our food and green waste service.

We encourage residents who are not already using the food and green waste service to sign up prior to Monday 4 July 2022 to get ready for the change.

Recent bin health checks also show that residents who are currently using the food and green waste recycling service are still putting food in the general waste bins (around 36%). Recyclable materials also make up 18% of general waste bin contents.

By recycling correctly, e.g. putting all food waste in the food and green waste bin and all recyclables in the recycling bin, you will be able to accommodate the change to fortnightly general waste collections.

Take a look at what can go in each of your bins or check out our A-Z Waste & Recycling Directory - a comprehensive list of items and where they can be conveniently recycled, donated, or disposed of. 

Bins are smelly - it’s a fact. To reduce the smell:

• Sprinkle some bicarb soda in the bin to neutralise smells
• Put food waste in compostable bags (labelled AS4736) or wrap in newspaper
• Alternate layers of food waste with garden waste like lawn clippings or dry leaves
• Store smelly food waste in the freezer until bin day
• Store your bins in a shady and well-ventilated area
• Rinse your bins from time-to-time, and always keep the lid closed
• Wrap dirty nappies tightly in a small bag to reduce the amount of air circulation. Dirty nappies go in the general waste bin
• Put pet waste in a poo bag and tie tightly. Pet waste goes in the general waste b
• Consider cloth nappies – if this is an option you’d like to explore, please visit: bayside.vic.gov.au/Nappies