By TOM GANNON
LATROBE City will move towards a new four-bin recycling system after councils across the state received a share of $127 million to implement new recycling reforms.
The funding will support Victorian councils to buy new bins, improve drop off facilities, deliver education campaigns and ensure they have the infrastructure in place to roll out these reforms.
The new recycling system would see Latrobe residents gaining an additional glass-only recycling bin as well as keeping the current mixed recycling, green waste and rubbish bins.
The new reforms would likely see changes to what is and isn’t allowed in certain bins.
Despite the funding announcement, Latrobe City Mayor Sharon Gibson told The Express the new four-bin system won’t be making an appearance for at least a few years.
“Latrobe City Council has a draft plan for waste services which targets 2024 for a potential four-bin recycling system,” she said.
“This will depend on 12 months of data from the container deposit scheme which will give us the information we need to make the best decision for our ratepayers.”
Council will first start the transition with a container deposit scheme aimed at increasing beverage container recycling and reducing litter.
The container deposit scheme works by applying a small deposit to beverages sold to consumers to cover the cost of recycling.
After consuming, these empty beverage containers such as plastic, glass bottles and aluminium cans, can be returned to a designated refund collection point where a cash refund can be collected for each container.
An additional glass bin was highlighted as a feature of the reforms as glass, when mixed with other recyclable materials, shatters and contaminates valuable, easy to recycle materials such as paper and cardboard.
Labor Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said the new changes would significantly improve the state’s recycling process.
“These changes to the way we collect, sort and recycle household waste will make a huge difference to the efficiency and volume of the recycling process, and our councils will be a key part of rolling out these reforms in every corner of the state,” she said.
