We will develop annual action plans in consultation with the community and especially the Community Waste Reference Group.

Annual action plans will provide timeframes, resource requirements and performance assessment direction.

We will review the strategy every four years to make sure it is aligned with Council Plans.

It's part of the Victorian Government's circular economy plan, Recycling Victoria: A new economy which aims to improve recycling and reduce waste.

Recycling Victoria is the Victorian Government’s 10-year action plan to fundamentally transform our recycling sector, reduce waste, create thousands of jobs and set Victoria up for a more sustainable future.

Key dates:

Collecting glass separately makes it easier to use it in glass-to-glass manufacturing and reduces the amount of small pieces of glass getting stuck in paper, cardboard and other recyclable materials which then must be sent to landfill.

Where glass-to-glass is not viable there is strong demand for recovered glass in the construction sector (e.g. road base) to reduce the need for other raw materials and to reduce environmental impacts.

The State Government requires the provision of a separate glass collection service by 2027 for all Victorian households.

The Shire has not yet set a date for the introduction of a separate glass service, however, glass bottles and jars will soon be separated at our transfer stations.

We are waiting until the Container Deposit Scheme is introduced (in November 2023) to understand how this may impact glass recycling, before considering possible timelines and options.

We'll be working closely with councils that already have a separate glass recycling service, reviewing trial results and learning outcomes to determine the best option for our community.

In addition to the upcoming changes to Victoria's recycling services, a Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) for drink containers will be introduced in Victoria in November 2023.

The scheme will increase the recycling of drink cans, bottles and cartons and reduce Victoria’s litter by up to half.

A 10c refund will be provided for all eligible returned containers and residents will be able to keep the refund or nominate a charity or community group to receive the refund.

A variety of recycling opportunities may be available to residents including: reverse vending machines, drop off points, and collection drives and having an accessible and convenient network of collection points is central to the design of Victoria’s CDS.

Charities, sporting clubs and community groups can benefit from the scheme by receiving refunds, running collection drives or operating drop off points.

The scheme will run by a State Government appointed coordinator and be funded by the beverage industry.

Find more information on the Victorian Government's website.

Food makes up 34 per cent of our household waste, which adds up to an estimated 1,500 tonnes of food that is thrown out by Mount Alexander Shire residents every year.

Food waste is expensive

It is expensive to send this large volume of food waste to landfill. Waste levies, set by the State Government, have increased substantially in recent years and are expected to continue to increase in the future. Diverting food waste from landfill will reduce landfill costs for Mount Alexander Shire residents.

Environmental impacts

Diverting food waste from the household rubbish bin will reduce the volume of methane, a powerful gas that contributes to climate change, that is generated when organic waste breaks down in landfill.

Collecting food waste separately will allow this valuable resource to be repurposed.

We have developed our strategic direction and goals so that we can most effectively respond to a number of significant and ongoing issues across the sector:

• Increasing amount of waste to be managed
• Demand for improved reuse and recycling
• The circularity of our economy
• The cost of waste and recycling
• Government policy and regulation