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Waste & recycling

Waste & recycling

How Melton's bins work today. Households on the council's kerbside service have a red-lid general waste bin collected weekly, plus a yellow-lid recycling bin and a green-lid food and garden organics (FOGO) bin, which are collected on alternate fortnights. The lid colours are the council's own description. Glass bottles and jars go in the yellow recycling bin until glass collections start in July 2027. Use the council's lookup to find your bin day.

New to these terms? Read them in plain English
Bulky / hard waste collection
Pickup or drop-off for large items that don't fit in your bins.
See the full explainer, with formulas →

Bin collection at a glance

General waste (red lid)
WeeklyBag everything that goes in this bin. Its contents go to landfill at the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall, the council says. Broken glass, drinking glasses, mirrors and window glass go here, wrapped.What goes in the red bin →
Recycling (yellow lid)
FortnightlyGlass bottles and jars, cans, foil, paper, cardboard and hard plastics, placed loose, not bagged. No soft plastics, coffee cups or long-life cartons.What goes in the yellow bin →
Food and garden organics (green lid)
Fortnightly, on the week the yellow bin isn't collectedFood scraps (including meat, bones and dairy) and garden waste. The council asks you not to use compostable caddy liners: line the caddy with newspaper, paper towel or dry leaves. If you don't have a FOGO bin, you can order a 120 L or 240 L one at no extra charge. The council says more than 80% of eligible properties have opted in since 2020.What goes in the green bin →
Glass (purple lid) — from 2027
Bins delivered Feb 2027; collections start Jul 2027Under the state's four-bin reform, the council will deliver FOGO bins to households that don't have one (mid-January 2027) and purple glass bins to every household on the kerbside service (February 2027). Glass collections start in July 2027, after which bottles and jars go in the purple bin, not the yellow one. The council's April 2025 announcement said the glass bin would be collected every four weeks. Red and yellow bin collections don't change.Four-bin rollout →
Hard waste and tip entitlements
2 a year: hard waste collections (up to 3 m³ each), drop-offs (up to 1 m³ each), or one of eachFor households on the council's kerbside service, tenants and owners alike. Entitlements expire on 30 June; book hard waste by 16 June to be sure of a collection before then. Bookings are made online with the contractor; tenants must also email proof of residency to hardwaste@melton.vic.gov.au within 24 hours. The council says wait times are currently longer than usual (Sep 2026).Book hard waste →
Drop-off
Melton Recycling Facility, 33 Ferris Road, CobblebankOpen every day 8am–4.30pm (gates lock at 4.30pm); closed New Year's Day, Good Friday, Anzac Day and Christmas Day. Batteries, e-waste, paint and engine oil are free at the Recycle Centre. Transfer Station fees apply beyond your entitlements. Owners named on the rates notice bring the notice (or assessment number) and photo ID; tenants need a voucher from customer service. Phone 03 9747 5902.Hours, fees and what's accepted →
Find your bin day
Council address lookup, or the 2026–27 printable calendarPut bins out by 6am on collection day, at least 50 cm apart. Report a missed bin within 48 hours through the council's enquiry form.Check your bin day →

We describe the bins the way the council does. The annual waste service charge ($380 for 2026–27) is on your rates notice; see Rates & fees. The council's general waste page still quotes the 2025–26 price of an extra bin ($164); its kerbside page and the 2026–27 budget give $202. Frequencies and charges can change, so check the council's pages below.

Sources — check it yourself

Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.