We're committed to being a sustainable city with a long-term ambition to move our community towards zero waste in landfill.

Reducing waste starts with becoming a more conscious consumer. Discover how you can reduce your waste footprint by helping to divert common contributors to landfill like plastic, clothing and food waste.

We've developed an online Circular Economy Map to help residents and businesses join the circular economy.

Recycling through your kerbside bins

Every household, business and building that we service has four bins to separate and manage waste and recycling - a red or dark green-lid rubbish bin, a purple-lid glass bin, a yellow-lid recycling bin, and a lime-green lidded FOGO bin.

For more information about what can and can't go in your recycling bins check out our A to Z Waste and Recycling Guide.

Local recycling drop-offs

Our Clifton Hill Recycling Drop-off Centre accepts lots of waste materials that can't be recycled in your kerbside bins, including:

• electronic waste
• metals
• clothing
• paints
• polystyrene
• some soft and hard plastics.
   

Soft plastics

Plastic bags and other soft plastics do not belong in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.

These get trapped in machinery and create issues with the sorting process. Your recycling should be loose and plastic bag-free.

We accept some soft plastics at the Clifton Hill Recycling Drop-off Centre. Our recycling processor partner, APR Plastics, has built the technology to recycle soft plastics into new plastic products.

Food waste and composting at home

From 1 July 2024, we're introducing a household Food and Garden Organic (FOGO) waste collection service. In the meantime, here's some other things you can do with your food and garden waste:

• Set up a worm form or home compost
• Find a local food waste or compost drop off by checking out our Circular Economy Map or ShareWaste.

A to Z recycling guide

Our A to Z Waste and Recycling Guide can help you determine how and where to dispose of your household items.

If you still aren't sure what to do with an item, take a photo and submit it to our waste team. We'll do the investigating for you!

Container Deposit Scheme

The Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) is a Victorian Government initiative that gives Victorians a 10-cent refund for every eligible drinking container at designated refund points.

You will be reimbursed for recycling eligible drinking containers between 150ml and 3L including:

• cans
• small juice and flavoured milk cartons
• glass bottles
• plastic bottles.

Some containers will not be accepted including wine bottles, spirit bottles, juice bottles over 1L, milk bottles, milk cartons, jam jars, and passata jars.

Visit the CDS website for the most up-to-date information.

Recycling for businesses

We have resources and initiatives for Yarra businesses who want to improve how they manage their waste and recycling.

If you'd like more information or support, visit the business waste collection page.

Apartments, units and townhouses

We offer tools, guidelines and educational resources for residents and property managers in apartment blocks and multi-unit developments.

Recycling Victoria policy

We support the Victorian Government's Recycling Victoria: a new economy policy [PDF, 1.67MB], a 10-year plan to transform the state's recycling sector. It will mean a cleaner, greener Victoria with less waste, better recycling, less pollution, more jobs and a stronger economy.

It means that every Council across Victoria will offer a four-bin waste and recycling system.