Kerbside bin service changes

Your kerbside bin service is changing next year

The State Government is introducing new legislation for waste services. Wherever you go in Victoria, waste rules will be the same. Consistent rules and bin lid colours will lead to less confusion, which will lower contamination rates and keep waste disposal costs more manageable for everyone.

What’s changing on the Mornington Peninsula?

  • Households without a food and green waste (FOGO) bin will receive one next year. All food scraps will go in this bin. Residents will receive information on the FOGO bin rollout closer to the delivery date in 2027
  • Glass bins will NOT be introduced yet. We are advocating alongside other councils against the requirement for glass bins.
  • Households with the “old” bin lid colours (dark green for general rubbish and light blue for recycling) will receive new bin lids. We are finalising the timeline for this and will update this page as details are confirmed.

Why we are embracing the food and garden waste (FOGO) bin, but advocating against the glass bin

Since 2021 the State Government has increased the landfill levy by 126 per cent. Placing food scraps in the food and green waste (FOGO) bin can reduce landfill waste by up to 40 per cent, and is the key to driving costs down.

What goes into the FOGO bin is turned into compost that can be used by Victorian farmers, so there are many benefits to this service. If we reduce contamination and send less to landfill, that is better for ratepayers and better for the environment.

On the Mornington Peninsula, 54,000 households are already opting in to use the FOGO bin service, so we know it’s a winner!

The State Government legislation includes the introduction of a separate glass bin, too. We believe there’s a better way to recycle glass. And we're not alone. More than 30 Victorian councils have come together to advocate against a separate glass bin.

Victoria already has a Container Deposit Scheme that lets you return glass bottles and cans for a 10c refund at over 600 locations statewide. It's working well and being embraced by communities across the state. Expanding the scheme to include wine and spirit bottles could deliver the same recycling benefits as an additional bin at a fraction of the cost.

Stay informed and have your say on our Kerbside Waste Services Transition page.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the State government making these changes?

The State Government is making these changes to make recycling easier for everyone. Right now, different councils in Victoria have different rules for kerbside bins. This can be confusing. The Government wants all councils to follow the same rules so people know what goes in each bin and so recycling can improve across the state.

These new rules will start on 1 July 2027. The State Government has not yet shared the final rules for each bin, but we are already working on the main changes. This includes giving everyone a FOGO (green) bin and making sure all bin lids are the same colours used by other councils in Victoria.

Why should I use my FOGO bin food scraps instead of my rubbish bin?

The FOGO bin is handy to have – you can dispose of garden waste, such as clippings and weeds as well as all types of food scraps! That includes leftovers, bread, meat, seafood, dairy, fruit – the list goes on! What goes into the FOGO bin becomes nutritious compost for Victorian farmers.

Free your landfill bin of food scraps and enjoy a bin with more space! When people use the FOGO service, we can reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill by up to 40%! This is good for the environment and makes sense financially because landfill fees are so high.

Why do we need to replace bin lids?

The State Government has introduced standard bin lid colours for all households in Victoria. This change will remove confusion and make it easier for everyone to use the right bin. On the Mornington Peninsula, this is especially helpful because we get nearly seven million visitors each year, and our recycling bins often have high contamination.

We have known about this change for a while. A few years ago, we started using the new lid colours on all new bins and on bins that needed replacement lids. You may have already seen some homes on your street using the new colours. If your household already has the new colour system, your bin lids will not be changed.

I already compost at home, do I need the FOGO bin?

Our data tells us that even residents with a good compost system in place can put this bin to good use. Home composting and industrial composting is different. While your home compost system will not tolerate too much citrus, meat and dairy, the FOGO bin will happily take all food scraps and turn it into nutritious compost for farmers. This means you can free your landfill bin of all food scraps for good!

Will the food and green waste (FOGO) bin smell?

Just like in your garbage bin, food waste odours will naturally increase during the warmer months.However, there are ways to reduce the smell:

  • You can pick up a free roll of compostable bin liners from our customer service centres to put your food scraps in.
  • Try alternating layers of food waste and garden waste like lawn clippings or dry leaves.
  • Store prawn shells, seafood and uncooked meat scraps in the freezer until closer to collection day.
  • Store your bins in a shady, flat and well-ventilated area.
  • Rinse your bins from time-to-time, and always keep the lid closed.
  • Sprinkle some bicarb soda in the bin to neutralize odours.

Will waste services costs increase for ratepayers?

From 1 July 2027, the food and green waste (FOGO) bin will be included in the total waste charge. We don’t have exact pricing at this stage, but we will share with our community once pricing has been confirmed.

Since 2021 the State Government has increased the landfill levy by 126 per cent. 40% of contents in the general rubbish bin is currently food, so we have a good chance at keeping landfill costs manageable if we place food scraps in the food and green waste (FOGO) bin instead.

These changes are being driven by the State Government, but the reality for us locally is simple — waste is getting more expensive.

The best way to help keep costs down is to keep food waste out of landfill, use the FOGO bin properly, and keep recycling clean.

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