Sustainability
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Victoria mandated a four-stream waste system: (1) General waste (red lid), (2) Commingled recycling (yellow lid), (3) Glass recycling (purple lid), (4) Food and garden organics (green lid).
Commercial businesses are encouraged (not yet mandated) to separate all four streams. Implementing all four streams typically increases recycling rates from 20-30% to 60-80% and reduces general waste costs by up to 40% because recyclables and organics are cheaper to process than landfill disposal.
Key Numbers
- Recycling rate after four streams: from 20–30% to 60–80%
- General waste cost reduction: up to 40%
- Statewide landfill diversion target: 80% by 2030
- Kerbside glass / FOGO statewide: 2027 / 2030
What You Need to Know
Victoria's four-stream system splits waste by colour-coded lid so each material reaches the cheapest, cleanest processing path. The split matters financially because recyclables and organics cost less to process than landfill — implementing all four can lift recycling from 20–30% to 60–80% and cut general waste costs by up to 40%.
| Lid | Stream |
|---|
| Red | General waste |
| Yellow | Commingled recycling |
| Purple | Glass recycling |
| Green | Food and garden organics |
Commercial sites are encouraged but not yet mandated to run all four, and under Recycling Victoria — A New Economy the state is targeting 80% diversion from landfill by 2030 (kerbside glass by 2027, FOGO statewide by 2030). As an independent broker, Bundle Waste audits your current streams free, right-sizes all four across a network of providers, and is paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
What are Victoria's recycling targets for businesses?+
Victoria's Recycling Victoria policy targets: 80% waste diversion from landfill by 2030, 100% of organics recovered from all sources by 2030, and all packaging to be recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025. While these are government targets (not mandatory per-business), many large clients, councils, and procurement processes now require suppliers to demonstrate 50-70% diversion rates. Having audited waste data gives you a competitive advantage.
What are the penalties for incorrect waste disposal in Victoria?+
EPA Victoria can issue fines of: $1,000-10,000 for littering or illegal dumping, $10,000-50,000 for unlicensed waste transport, up to about $2.03 million for serious environmental harm from waste mismanagement. For businesses, common penalties include contamination fees from providers ($50-200 per incident), loss of recycling service for repeat contamination (3+ strikes), and council infringement notices ($500-2,000) for bin placement or overflowing waste on commercial premises.
What is e-waste and how should my business dispose of it?+
E-waste includes computers, monitors, printers, phones, cables, batteries, and TVs. It is illegal to put e-waste in general waste bins in Victoria (fines of $500-5,000). Options: (1) Free drop-off at council e-waste centres, (2) Commercial e-waste collection services ($2-5/kg), (3) Manufacturer take-back schemes (Dell, HP, Apple offer free business pickups for their products), (4) Data destruction services that also recycle ($5-15/device). A medium office generates 50-100kg of e-waste per year.
What recycling is mandatory for Victorian businesses?+
Under Recycling Victoria, all businesses are transitioning to a four-stream system: general waste, commingled recycling, paper/cardboard, and food organics. Large food businesses generating 50+ kg/week must separate food waste. Contamination of recycling streams can result in fines and service refusal.
What is the Recycling Victoria policy?+
Recycling Victoria is a 10-year circular economy policy (2020–2030) investing $515 million. Key measures: mandatory four-stream separation, Container Deposit Scheme, landfill material bans, 80% diversion target by 2030, and new recycling infrastructure investment.
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Updated 25 June 2026
