Victoria is moving every household to a four-bin system with glass by 2027 and FOGO by 2030. Here is what that household reform does and does not mean for a Victorian business, and how to set your bins up.
Victoria is rolling out a standardised four-bin system to households across the state, and the announcements can make business owners think they are about to be told what bins to use. The reality is more specific. Here is what the four-bin reform actually is, who it applies to, and what a Victorian business should do.
Victoria's household system standardises four streams by lid colour:
The timeline legislated for councils is access to glass recycling by 2027 and to food and garden organics by 2030. It is being delivered council by council across the state.
The four-bin system is a council kerbside standard for households. It is not a business mandate. A Victorian cafe, office or warehouse is not legally compelled to run a lime-green FOGO bin the way the household system requires.
That distinction matters because Victoria is sometimes lumped in with New South Wales. Only NSW legally compels businesses to separate food organics, and that duty has applied since 1 July 2026. Victoria's reform is about the bins at people's homes. Victorian businesses still arrange their own commercial collection and choose their streams.
Two practical reasons, both about money and readiness.
First, the landfill levy. Victoria's metropolitan municipal and industrial levy rose to $169.79 per tonne from 1 July 2025, a jump of more than 31 percent in one year. That lands on your general-waste bin. The household four-bin logic of separating organics and glass is exactly what cuts the levied tonnage for a business too, even though you are not forced to do it.
Second, readiness. As FOGO becomes the household norm by 2030 and organics infrastructure expands, separating food waste at your business gets easier and more expected by customers and staff. Setting up ahead of the curve is cheaper than reacting to it.
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Get your exact priceVictoria's Container Deposit Scheme has been running since November 2023. Eligible drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres earn a 10-cent refund at a return point. For a venue, bar or office that gets through a lot of cans and bottles, that is a stream worth capturing rather than tipping into general waste, and it complements the new glass bin.
One scope note: through Bin Hire Australia, Victorian businesses can book general waste wheelie bins (240L, 660L, 1100L on weekly collection) today. Cardboard, organics and glass streams in Victoria are arranged through specialist operators for now, so treat those as separate arrangements alongside your general service.
Victoria's four-bin rollout is a household program with council-by-council timing, and the rules and levy change over time. Use this as orientation, not gospel.
Obligations and timelines vary by council and change each 1 July, so confirm what applies in your area with your council or the Victorian EPA before acting.
Does Victoria's four-bin system apply to my business? No. It is a household council kerbside standard. Victorian businesses are not compelled to adopt it. Only NSW legally compels businesses to separate food organics, and it has since 1 July 2026.
Should a Victorian business separate organics anyway? It is worth considering. Food waste is heavy and the Victorian landfill levy rose sharply in 2025, so diverting organics cuts the tonnage you are levied on, even though it is not required.
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Related: organics bins, cardboard recycling bins, commercial bin hire in Melbourne
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No. The four-bin system with glass by 2027 and FOGO by 2030 is a household council kerbside standard. Victorian businesses are not compelled to adopt it and arrange their own commercial collection.
Victoria's metropolitan landfill levy rose to $169.79 per tonne from 1 July 2025, more than 31 percent in a year. Food waste is heavy, so diverting it into an organics service cuts the tonnage you are levied on.
More resources to help you choose the right bins, schedules, and services.
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