A controversial bin change could be back on the chopping block, as councillors reconsider whether to press ahead.
Greater Dandenong Council is set to review its decision to roll out a separate purple glass recycling bin, despite previously signing off on the plan late last year.
In Victoria, the government will require all councils to roll out purple-lid glass recycling bins by July 2027.
But so far, there’s been an onslaught of pushback, prompting the council to consider backflipping on its support of the rollout.
Dandenong had initially raised concerns about the cost alongside other councils in March last year, before ultimately backing the policy in October.
Since then, the price tag has grown.
What was expected to cost households about $13 a year has climbed to around $16, with no option for residents to opt out, the Dandenong Star Journal reported.
The total rollout is projected to cost the council $3.6 million, to be recouped over time through rates. Nearby councils are facing even steeper bills, with one budgeting close to $6 million.
A fourth household bin is set to sweep across millions of households. Source: Victoria Government/Yahoo News Australia
Why are councils opposing the purple-lidded bin?
Dandenong Councillor Rhonda Garad has now called for a rethink, arguing the timing couldn’t be worse.
“With ratepayers under pressure, council finances strained, and an energy crisis looming, adding a new cost of purple bins, despite the success of the container deposit scheme and without an opt-out option or clear rollout plan for apartments, means this needs a rethink,” she told the Dandenong Star Journal.
“Strained budgets, an energy crisis, and no opt-out — ratepayers shouldn’t be forced to carry this cost right now.”
A final call is yet to be made, with council executives expected to brief councillors before any decision is locked in.
Manningham Council Mayor Jim Grivas spoke on behalf of 34 councils launching a campaign against the plan.
He told Yahoo News earlier that there was “a better, cheaper way” to recycle glass.
“This is a costly policy that will hit households year after year, at a time when people are already under pressure,” Grivas said.
The councils say independent modelling in 2025 estimated a glass-only kerbside system would cost councils around $4 million to establish, and households would face an extra $27 a year charge.
Concerns aren’t just about cost.
Some councillors said feedback from areas where the bins are already in place suggests they’re often sitting half-empty, raising questions about whether the environmental benefits stack up, especially with rising fuel costs for collection trucks.
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Others argue the existing container deposit scheme is already doing much of the heavy lifting, offering 10 cents per eligible item and driving strong community participation, particularly among local groups and young people.
Scores of purple bins are due to be distributed across households, but not if 34 councils have anything to say about it. Source: City of Wangaratta/Greater Shepparton City Council
While many are supportive of better glass recycling, it’s been argued that the current system still has gaps, and confusion remains, especially in communities already navigating multiple bins.
Not all glass is covered under the deposit scheme, meaning items like jars, wine bottles and condiment containers still need to go through kerbside recycling.
At the same time, a range of common household items, from mirrors and light globes to ceramics and cookware, can’t go in the glass bin at all.
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