Community consultation on our 4-bin waste service and hard waste
In 2020-21, we spoke to the Merri-bek community about our kerbside waste and recycling services.
Thank you to everyone for providing feedback on the proposed changes to our waste service.
Overall we had 14 weeks of active engagement over 3 separate stages of community consultation. We held 14 workshops and 5 phone drop-in sessions with community members. Overall, we had 4,259 contributions across a range of engagement activities and feedback channels, including over 3,122 survey responses from households, businesses and community organisations. You can find a summary of each stage of consultation below.
Stage 1 - July and August 2020
The first stage of consultation helped us to understand what you think of our current waste services and your thoughts on the introduction of a fourth bin or service for glass recycling.
We received over 436 survey responses and 149 ideas on how the changes might affect your households and our community. You can find a summary of your feedback from Stage 1 here.
We also undertook social research to further understand how a four-bin service would impact on specific groups in our community. You can read a summary of the key findings here.
Stage 2 - February and March 2021
In the second stage of consultation, we presented some options for changes to your FOGO and Garbage, Recycling and Glass, and Hard Waste services and asked about alternatives for a new glass recycling bin for some housing types.
We received over 1,000 survey responses, and conducted six online workshops and two phone in sessions.
You can find a summary of consultation from Stage 2 here.
Stage 3 - August and September 2021
In the third and final stage of consultation, we sought feedback on our proposed changes to our waste service, outlined in our Kerbside Waste Service and Charge Policy. We received over 1600 survey responses from households and businesses, and held seven online workshops and two phone in sessions.
You can find a summary of consultation from Stage 3 here.
Community feedback helped shape our new 4-bin waste service
Merri-bek households will move to a 4-bin waste service as required by State Government reforms from mid-2023, with the addition of a glass recycling bin to existing general rubbish and mixed recycling bins. A food and garden organics bin, currently an optional service, will be rolled out to all households.
The changes follow Council’s endorsement of a new Kerbside Waste Service and Charge Policy at the December Council Meeting.
To help residents move to the new waste service, general rubbish bins will continue to be collected weekly while mixed recycling bins will move to fortnightly collection and be increased in size. Food and garden organics bins will be collected weekly and glass recycling bins will be collected monthly.
The extensive three-stage community consultation process demonstrated the diversity and differing needs of the community.
While fortnightly general rubbish collection is a better option in terms of costs and emissions reduction, we understand that this is a big change for Merri-bek residents, so we will make changes in stages and we will provide ongoing support to make the transition as smooth as possible.
We will trial fortnightly general rubbish collection in one section of the north of Merri-bek and one section of the south. The trial will help inform us how best to move to fortnightly general rubbish collections across the municipality.
Hard waste is also undergoing some changes, with booked hard waste collections being trialled from July 2022. Find out more about hard waste here.
Further changes to general rubbish collection frequency and hard waste collections are subject to further Council decision, following the outcomes of the trials.
You can explore project updates and community questions and comments from community consultation below.
Project Updates
Stage 1
Share your thoughts
In the first stage of consultation in July-August 2020, we asked you how you thought these changes might affect your household. Hearing about your experiences helps us to understand how we can improve our waste services for everyone in Merri-bek.
You can read people's thoughts and ideas below.
How do you think these changes might affect you and your household? What do we need to think about when we’re planning for these changes in Merri-bek?
21 August, 2020
ianmacca says:
95% of our food products are packaged in plastic. Glass drop of points at shopping centres instead of another truck polluting our suburbs.
21 August, 2020
Victoryaddicks says:
Continue weekly landfill.
20 August, 2020
magpies67 says:
The challenge will be lack of space to place 4 bins especially for residence living in apartment blocks. Education our community
20 August, 2020
lauren_doherty says:
Make the recycling of e-waste more accessible. Placing it out during hard rubbish ends in a mess and in the same truck as everything else.
19 August, 2020
cbriton says:
It would be good to have common collection points for both glass and soft plastics, and more clarification about 'what goes where.'
18 August, 2020
Hannahif says:
consider an appliance repair stations that the council pays people to use to reduce the applicance/household items going to landfill
18 August, 2020
Derpi says:
I think there needs to be something better for clothing thay can't be donated other than the rubbish bin where it can be reused.
18 August, 2020
Carmel50 says:
There is limited nature strip access for 3 bins now with more cars parked on streets due to Council approved minimum parking developments.
18 August, 2020
Craigl says:
Hi. Could we move to weekly green waste collections? The move to include food waste is great but I don’t have enough green bin space. Thanks
17 August, 2020
Rosina says:
I think it's great that we're moving to a four bin system. Fortnightly rubbish and weekly food and garden waste collection would be the best
17 August, 2020
MrsPeach says:
I agree a split bin would be much better as the space it would take up in the smaller blocks would be a lot!
17 August, 2020
alex_neill says:
Great idea! But FOUR bins is a big ask. My family are from the Northern Rivers and they have one recycling bin with a divider.
16 August, 2020
Marita says:
Not everyone has glass to put out weekly. I don't drink alcohol or buy sauces in jars as I make my own. Would take me many months to fill.
16 August, 2020
JFR says:
Recycling of glass, cardboard, paper, is clear, but it is the variety of plastics that is the issue.
15 August, 2020
lizzym says:
Where all the bins will fit on subdivided properties.
14 August, 2020
awalker says:
We are big on recycling, have own compost & minimal rubbish.
Worried for neighbours habits. Think education is needed if more bins provided
14 August, 2020
Laurenfsamuel says:
Great to add an extra bin though soft plastics are thrown out in our house much more than glass. we need more education on correct recycling
14 August, 2020
katie_daley says:
I think it will be supremely helpful and I support it. Anything that helps us reduce landfill waste.
14 August, 2020
MOS says:
A number of waste disposal needs would remain unmet (other than via the tip). Including soft plastics, used batteries, e-waste, paint...
13 August, 2020
Phocking says:
Having a separate bin for soft plastics. Or more places to drop them.
13 August, 2020
giorgia says:
Buyback model to recycle cans, plastic and glass bottles. More community gardens and worm farms in every suburb to process organic waste.
13 August, 2020
Talia says:
It would be great if apartment blocks with private waste were required to have green bins and separated recycling too
13 August, 2020
trash says:
I visited Sicily 3 years ago in a village of 3000 population. They have a system similar to what Moreland is proposing. We are way behind.
12 August, 2020
Rosacarbone says:
We really can’t store anymore bins. Can you look at communal areas/local parks acting as collection points.
12 August, 2020
ReduceWaste says:
Why not a five bin system, with paper and cardboard separated from plastics and metals, like in Berlin? Communal glass bins work in London.
12 August, 2020
ReduceWaste says:
Container deposits are great when convenient, like the German system of returning glass and plassic bottles and aluminium cans to a machine.
12 August, 2020
Jars says:
We need to maintain weekly collection of waste. I am happy to stagger the recycling collection.
12 August, 2020
amy_alexander says:
Glass, plastic and can recycle deposits scheme is a better idea to 4 bins.
12 August, 2020
amy_alexander says:
The idea is wonderful but isn't practical. A Scandinavian waste management way would be a better adoption.
12 August, 2020
gregrickard says:
No space for 4 bins in most villa units. Not enough kerbside space for 16 bins from 4 units in my complex. No space for 4 communal bins.
12 August, 2020
Kathryn says:
A street collection point for glass would be much more preferable to yet another bin hazard in a small street. Please no extra bin! No room
12 August, 2020
Kathryn says:
I havent space for another bin, dont want to pay for one, and will never fill one. Theres no room on the street for another set of bin chaos
12 August, 2020
chrismiddz says:
Need a soft plastics bin or drop of point. Don't have lots of glass so bin will be a quite empty. Better plastics recycling. Drop off points
12 August, 2020
rick_clarke says:
Our recent townhouse already doesn't have suitable bin storage. Planning decisions made now must provide for adequate storage for four bins.
12 August, 2020
vaitkin says:
What are Council's costs to dispose of waste collected and how much does it receive for selling recyclable waste and from bin provision.
12 August, 2020
TonyP says:
More frequent green waste collection
Stage 2
Ask us a question
During our second stage of consultation in February and March 2021, the community was invited to ask questions about this project and why changes are needed. This activity is now closed, but you can see responses to questions below.
Stage 3
Ask us a question
As part of our third stage of consultation in August and September 2021, we invited people to ask questions about the proposed changes to our waste service. You can view the questions and responses below.
