Frequently Asked Questions - bin changes

Standardised bin system

Every Council in Victoria is required to transition to a standardised bin system with uniform bin colours by 2027.

These changes include:

• Red-lidded general waste bins
• Green-lidded food and green waste bins (called food organics and garden organics FOGO)
• Yellow-lidded recycling bins
• The introduction of a separate glass recycling service.

This is part of the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy Strategy to cut waste and boost reuse and recycling. The aim is to have the same household bin system, no matter where you live.

We won’t be changing the recycling bin or introducing a separate glass service just yet but we will keep you informed when we do.

Over an eight-week period in September, Bayside is making the change to red-lid, black-bodied general waste bins.

This is how it will work:

• Your new red-lid bin will be delivered to your nature strip a few days before your usual general waste collection (with a tag that has changeover instructions attached).
• Take the new red-lid bin in and start using it for your general waste.
• Put your old dark green bin out on the next collection day (with rubbish in it).
• This bin will be emptied as normal – but leave it out!
• It will then be taken away within the following week.

Don’t worry - your new red-lid bin will be the same size as your current bin and bins being taken away will be recycled into new bins.

We're changing over the bins throughout September and October. You don't need to do anything until you get your new bin. 

If you want more information on your specific situation, use the form below check on the status of your bin change and if you need to contact us about the switch.

Check your bin change status

Once you get your new red-lid bin, put your old dark green bin out on your next collection day and leave it out! It will be emptied and then taken away within one week.

Your old dark green bin will only be taken away AFTER you receive your new red-lid bin, so keep an eye out for it. 

It’s wheelie important to leave your old dark green bin out after it's been emptied. This won't need to happen until after you receive your new red-lid bin. 

We know that the initial changeover may be missed or forgotten by some. If that’s your household, no worries - simply put your old dark green bin out for your next scheduled general waste collection and leave it out - we will pick it up after it has been emptied within a week.

Yes. We will give you a new red-lid general waste bin that is the same size to replace your current dark green general waste bin. 

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 84% 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 17 other Victorian councils that have already made the bin collection switch successfully.

The changes apply to all properties using Council bins. You can check if your bins are Council bins by looking for the Council logo on the front. 

People living in units/apartments

If you are renting and using the Council kerbside waste service, you can order a food and green waste bin. There is a one-off fee of $99.

If your building does not use the Council kerbside waste service and uses a private service, you will need to talk to your Body Corporate and the private waste provider about options for recycling food waste. Council is happy to get involved and help with these discussions.

There are other options for recycling food waste that you could consider like purchasing a composting system for an apartment. See more information on the Composting Products and Tips page or contact us if you need more information or advice.

Renter and landlords

For the food and green waste bins - if you are renting and using the Council kerbside waste service, you can order a food and green waste bin. There is a one-off fee of $99.

For general waste bins - If you are renting and would like to order a larger general waste bin you will need to talk to your landlord about this as the fee is included in the waste charge on the rates notice (which is paid by the homeowner).

Businesses 

Business who receive a Council kerbside waste service, you can order a food and green waste. There is a one-off fee of $99.

Early Learning Centres, Community Centres, Sporting Clubs 

For centres and clubs that receive a Council kerbside waste service, you can order a food and green waste bin. There is a one-off fee of $99.

Areas where the change to the bin collection schedule does not apply

The change to the bin collection schedule does not apply to the following major commercial centres:

• Beaumaris Concourse
• Black Rock Village
• Parts of Church Street, Brighton
• Parts of Bay Street, Brighton
• Parts of Martin Street in Brighton
• Parts of Hampton Street
• Sandringham Village.

These are busy commercial centres where most properties are businesses that have complex waste service needs.

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.

Detailed information about the changes was been sent to every household and business in Bayside. If you didn't get yours, you can view the booklet online or contact us to request a hard copy.

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
• 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

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

Pause on requests for smaller or larger general waste bin

Starting September, we're making the change to red-lid general waste bins over an 8-week period. During this time, there is a hold on the delivery of requests for smaller or larger general waste bins until the changeover is complete. 

If your request is urgent, please call us on 9599 4444 or email us at binchanges@bayside.vic.gov.au.

You still are able to order additional bins and larger or smaller food and green waste and recycling bins. 

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.

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

Click here to request a change to your bins

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

Bin Collection Day lookup

The food and green waste bin is emptied weekly.

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 and a 150-bag roll of compostable liners.

Order a food and green waste bin

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.

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 our nappies page.