Only 27 of Victoria’s 79 councils have adopted Daniel Andrews’ mandatory glass recycling scheme, with a growing coalition of local governments warning the multi-million-dollar rollout is unaffordable and unnecessary given the success of the state’s Container Deposit Scheme.
A signature recycling policy introduced by former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has been described as “all but dead” nearly three years after he left office, as the majority of the state’s councils refuse to implement it. Andrews’ 2027 deadline requiring all Victorian councils to introduce purple-lidded glass recycling bins is facing widespread resistance, with government insiders telling the Herald Sun the target is unlikely to be met. As of July 2026, only 27 of Victoria’s 79 councils have adopted the scheme, leaving more than 50 yet to introduce the bins despite the looming deadline.
Councils Push Back Over Cost
Multiple Victorian councils have warned the scheme will cost them millions of dollars to implement. Bayside Council, in Melbourne’s affluent beachside south, found that establishing a glass-only bin service would cost most Melbourne councils close to $4 million, with the added expense of $27 a year passed on to households to cover ongoing running costs. Manningham Council, in Melbourne’s east, circulated modelling commissioned on behalf of 22 councils that put the combined cost of implementation at $75 million as far back as 2022 — a figure insiders believe has since risen. Kingston Council, in the south-east, said it faces a bill of close to $3 million.
Kingston is among a coalition of 35 councils that had already formally called on the Victorian Government to delay the mandatory rollout earlier this year and reconsider the policy altogether, warning the financial burden on ratepayers is “simply too great.” Several councils, including Boroondara, Stonnington, Whitehorse, Hume, Cardinia and Campaspe, have already voted to postpone any rollout, despite it remaining a legal requirement. It is understood various Victorian Labor MPs are “quietly pushing” for the deadline to be scrapped altogether, as ratepayers grapple with the wider cost-of-living crisis.
Not every council is resisting, however. Some, including Casey, say they have already signed contracts for bins and collection services and are proceeding regardless of their reservations, warning that abandoning the rollout at this stage could expose them to financial penalties, given the scheme is now enshrined in law.
Councils Say the Container Deposit Scheme Has Made Bins Unnecessary
Central to the councils’ opposition is the argument that Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme has already removed a significant share of glass bottles from household waste streams, undermining the case for a dedicated glass-only bin. Waste audits carried out by several councils found the average household now generates relatively little glass waste; one council estimated that, were the Container Deposit Scheme expanded to cover more types of glass containers, it could take a typical household around 34 weeks to fill a purple bin.
Around 40 councils have determined the purple bin rollout is not suited to their communities and have instead called for the Container Deposit Scheme to be expanded, according to Municipal Association of Victoria President Cr Jennifer Anderson. “The MAV has long argued that councils are best placed to decide how waste is collected in their communities,” she said. “Councils need flexibility and should retain the autonomy to determine place-based solutions for recycling collection within their individual communities, in consultation with their communities.” She added that councils “have also produced independent economic modelling showing the massive cost to taxpayers,” and said local governments “want to work in partnership with the state government on what the best options are.”
Opposing councils also point out that Victoria is the only Australian state pursuing a mandatory statewide glass-only kerbside bin, while other jurisdictions have instead chosen to expand their own Container Deposit Schemes to recover more glass.
Environmental Concerns Beyond Cost
Beyond the financial objections, some councils argue the environmental case for a fourth household bin is not as clear-cut as the government suggests. They warn that introducing an additional bin would require extra collection trucks, increasing traffic, fuel consumption and carbon emissions — potentially offsetting some of the environmental benefits the scheme is designed to deliver.
Government Stands Firm
The Allan Government has committed $129 million to the four-bin rollout, covering new bins, glass drop-off facilities and community education campaigns, and is defending the policy despite the growing revolt. Officials argue that glass makes up 29 per cent of the weight in household recycling bins, and that separating it out would ultimately save councils significant sums. A government spokeswoman said: “We’re making recycling easier for Victorians with the new four bin system which also reduces landfill and creates jobs. Separating glass cuts council costs and boosts recycling rates, and 64 per cent of Victorians who know about the purple bin support it.”
The government maintains the purple bin is intended to complement, rather than replace, the Container Deposit Scheme, arguing many glass items — including jars and certain bottles that cannot be returned under the deposit scheme — would still need to be recycled through the dedicated purple bin service. The Victorian Government has yet to clarify what will happen to councils that fail to meet the 2027 deadline. Andrews resigned as Victorian premier on 27 September 2023.
