Operations
3 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
While not legally mandated, best practice (and increasingly expected by EPA Victoria) includes: colour-coded bin labels matching the AS 4123.7 standard, visual guides showing accepted/rejected items above each bin station, waste storage area signage showing emergency contacts and EPA licence numbers (required for prescribed waste), and bilingual signage if your workforce includes non-English speakers.
Bundle Waste provides free A3 signage packs in English, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Arabic.
Key Numbers
- Bin-label colour standard: AS 4123.7
- Visual guide format: A3, above each station
- Free signage languages: English, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic
- 2025-26 penalty unit: $203.51
What You Need to Know
Signage is not strictly mandated in Victoria, but EPA Victoria increasingly expects it — and clear labels are the cheapest contamination control you can buy. The goal is that anyone, including a new starter or a non-English speaker, can sort correctly without thinking.
- Colour-coded bin labels matching the AS 4123.7 standard so streams read at a glance.
- Visual accept/reject guides posted above every bin station.
- Storage-area signage with emergency contacts and EPA licence numbers (required for prescribed waste).
- Bilingual labels where your workforce includes non-English speakers.
Good signage demonstrates the reasonable care expected under the General Environmental Duty (GED), where penalty units run at $203.51 each. Bundle Waste supplies free A3 signage packs in English, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Arabic, then audits your invoices and benchmarks rates across a network of providers — paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
Where should waste bins be placed on commercial premises?+
Bin placement rules: (1) On a flat, hard surface (concrete or asphalt — not grass or gravel), (2) Within 3 metres of truck access point with no overhead obstructions below 4m, (3) Away from stormwater drains (EPA requirement — minimum 2m), (4) Not blocking fire exits, footpaths, or car park access, (5) Lids must be closeable (no overflowing). Many Melbourne councils require bins to be screened from public view by a fence or enclosure at least 1.2m high. Check your local council planning rules.
What are contamination penalties and how do I avoid them?+
Contamination penalties ($50-200 per incident) are charged when wrong items enter recycling or organics bins. The top 5 contaminants in Melbourne commercial bins are: (1) soft plastics in recycling, (2) food waste in recycling, (3) coffee cups in recycling (they are not recyclable), (4) nappies in recycling, (5) polystyrene in recycling. Prevention: place A3-size visual guides above every bin showing what goes where, conduct monthly 'bin dips' to check contents, and train new staff within their first week.
How do I train staff on correct waste sorting?+
Effective training takes 15 minutes and covers 3 things: (1) Which bin for which item — use real examples from your workplace (show actual packaging, not generic lists), (2) When in doubt, general waste — contamination costs more than losing one recyclable item, (3) The 'empty, clean, dry' rule for recycling — rinse containers, flatten cardboard, no food residue. Reinforce with posters at bin stations, monthly email reminders with contamination photos, and positive recognition for teams with clean bins.
What are the rules for waste bin placement on nature strips or footpaths?+
Melbourne council rules vary, but general requirements are: bins may only be placed on the nature strip on collection day (put out after 6pm the night before, retrieve by 9pm on collection day), bins must not block footpaths (minimum 1.2m pedestrian clearance), lids must face the street, bins must be at least 1m apart and 1m from other obstructions (cars, poles, trees). Commercial premises in shopping strips often need council permits for bin placement — contact your local council for specific rules.
How should I handle confidential waste (document shredding)?+
Confidential waste requires secure destruction to comply with the Privacy Act 1988. Options: (1) On-site shredding service ($50-100 per 240L bin, driver shreds while you watch), (2) Locked console bins collected for off-site destruction ($30-60/month for a 120L console, fortnightly collection), (3) One-off purges ($0.30-0.50/kg for bulk document destruction). All providers should issue a Certificate of Destruction. Average office of 20 staff generates 50-80kg of confidential waste per quarter.
See exactly what you are overpaying
Bundle Waste reviews your current waste invoices and benchmarks them against a network of Melbourne providers — free, with a written report in 5 business days. You will see what you pay now, where the hidden charges are, and the rate we can negotiate. You only pay from the savings we find: no savings, no fee.
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Updated 25 June 2026
