Bundle Waste
Check waste invoices using collection dates, bin records, agreed rates and documented surcharges rather than unsupported market ranges.
Match the billing period and collections
Confirm the site, dates and waste stream. Match chargeable collections to the actual calendar and service record. Three collections a week do not always mean 13 in a calendar month; 14 or 15 may be correct depending on dates.
Check collection and rental
Multiply the agreed per-lift rate by chargeable lifts, unless the contract uses an inclusive fixed fee. Compare bin counts and rental periods with the equipment actually supplied. Check whether failed access or a scheduled-but-unused service can be charged under the agreement.
Understand disposal and environmental fees
Ask whether disposal and any levy are included or separately charged. Do not back-calculate a supposed bin weight from a fee unless the contract defines it as a direct per-tonne pass-through. The EPA levy table is a statutory reference, not a universal invoice formula.
Recalculate surcharges
Identify the percentage or fixed rate and the base it applies to. Check price-change notices and the contract rather than assuming a fuel, administration or payment charge has a universal industry rate. Request supporting records for contamination and excess weight.
Reconcile subtotal and GST
Add the individual line totals, account for credits and check whether rates include or exclude GST. For an illustrative calculation, 10 assumed lifts at $20 give $200 before other charges or GST adjustments. These are invented inputs, not a Melbourne supplier rate.
Keep a clear query record
For each difference, record the invoice, relevant contract clause, your calculation and the provider’s response. Do not label a charge an overpayment until the service and charging basis are resolved. Use the accepted total as the baseline when comparing a new proposal.
Related guides
Sources
Checked 18 September 2026. The checklists are practical recommendations; no market-price dataset or customer saving is claimed.
- EPA Victoria — Waste levy. Table 1: 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027; Table 3 priority waste.
