The Victorian Government announced $129 million worth of initiatives on Monday, including new purple lid bins for glass recycling rolling out next year.
The government said in a statement that by collecting glass separately, more of it could be recycled effectively with jars and bottles transformed multiple times into different products, including new roads and footpaths.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the move would position Victoria as a leader in recycling, delivering a system Victorians could actually rely on.
“This represents a holistic approach to reducing, reusing and recycling our state’s waste,” he said in the statement.
“That’s good news for Victoria’s environment and good news for Victorian jobs.”
Separate glass collection will also make recovery of other recyclables such as plastic, metal and paper simpler, with the food and organic bin significantly reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, a government spokesperson said.
The roll-out of the new bins will start gradually next year, informed by the needs of local communities and existing council contracts.
There will also be special arrangements for remote regional households and people in apartments to ensure everyone gets access to the new four-bin system.
To complement this new household recycling system, the state government will also introduce a container deposit scheme – reducing litter and waste going into landfill, and creating new Victorian jobs.
The government will design and deliver the scheme in close consultation with councils and industry so it can begin by 2023.
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