Overview
In excellent news for locals who care about their planet, Victoria's recycling systems are set to score a game-changing transformation. As announced this week by Minister for the Environment and Climate Action Lily D'Ambrosio, an Australian-first recycling reform is set to be rolled out across the state by 2030.
As you might have guessed, those much-talked-about four household bins are set to play a starring role in the overhaul. They're still in the process of being rolled out statewide, but eventually every Victorian household will have these four separate units — used for general household waste (red lid), food and garden organics (green lid), glass (purple lid) and other mixed recycling (yellow lid).
It's anticipated that once the four-bin system is in use throughout Victoria, it'll have a hugely positive impact on our recycling habits. What's more, in the coming years, households will also be able to use these bins to recycle soft plastics and soiled food containers.
Nick Fewings via Unsplash
Also on the agenda: the Victorian Government has announced it's dropping $1 million to fund a new facility that will turn hard-to-recycle materials — like those pesky disposable coffee cups — into sustainable building products. It's also set to spend $175,000 on another facility that'll be used to process larger green waste into organic soil additives for the farming industry.
The changes are part of the Government's plan to divert up to 80 percent of waste by 2030. Our incoming container deposit scheme will also help this effort, as will the state's ban on single-use plastics, which kicks off in February next year.
Find out more about the Victorian Government's recycling reform and have your say on the four-bin system before October 26, 2022 over at the website.