Wyndham Council has moved to extend Victoria’s glass-bin rollout deadline, voting to lobby Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos for more time as the price tag and practical fallout come into focus.
At the Tuesday 24 February meeting, councillors weighed a report urging Wyndham to seek leeway on the state mandate requiring glass kerbside bins to be introduced by 1 July 2027 — a reform council says could hit ratepayers hard before its value is fully proven.
The report estimates the first year alone would cost about $7.7 million, money that would ultimately be carried by council and the community.
Cr Mia Shaw supported the push, pointing to a major shift already caused by the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), launched in 2023, which she said has reduced the amount of glass turning up in kerbside recycling.
“It does raise legitimate questions about cost versus benefit in a fast growing municipality like Wyndham,” Cr Shaw said.
“This isn’t about resisting environmental reform, it is about ensuring its implementation is financially responsible, practical for households and proportionate to the environmental outcomes achieved. “
Cr Shaw also warned that while locals have embraced the CDS, it has produced an unintended consequence — people rummaging through bins — and suggested introducing more kerbside bins could amplify the issue.
Cr Jennie Barrera stressed council was not trying to dodge the rules, but to reset the clock.
“We can’t not have the bins, that would be a breach of the legislation,” Cr Barrera said.
“This is about extending the period of time that we can roll it out, and advocating during that period for a different decision.”
The state government rejected the idea that councils are being left to carry the burden alone, saying it has already invested heavily to support the transition.
“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,“ a spokesperson said.
“The Container Deposit Scheme has been embraced by Victorians and complements the roll out of Victoria’s four-stream waste and recycling system.
“Many items, such as glass bottles and jars, are not suitable for CDS Vic – the glass bin allows households to conveniently recycle these at home.”
With the 1 July 2027 deadline looming and a $7.7 million first-year cost flagged, Wyndham is now betting the minister will grant an extension — giving council time to refine the rollout, argue for a better model, and prove the environmental gains stack up against the hit to ratepayers.
