Bin lid changeover program

Maroondah’s bin lid colours are changing to meet mandatory Victorian and Australian Government standards.

This change is being implemented in response to Victorian Government policy to standardise bin lid colours across the State, making it easier for everyone to use their bins correctly through consistent education and messaging.

From August until the end of October, Council will be replacing all:

  • green coloured general waste bin lids with red lids,
  • blue coloured recycling bin lids with yellow lids.
Graphic showing bin lid changes from green to red and blue to yellow.

What do I need to do?

  1. From Monday 3 August until the end of October, please put your general waste and recycling bins out on your usual recycling collection day and leave them out until 5pm (even if the bins are empty).
  • During this period continue to place both your recycling and general waste bins out each recycling collection until your bin lids have been changed. We will only be changing bin lids on your usual recycling collection day. 
  • If your bin lids have not been changed by Monday 26 October, please call Council on 1300 88 22 33 between 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, or email maroondah@maroondah.vic.gov.au.

When will the change occur?

The lids will be changed progressively on recycling collection days from the start of August to the end of October. A letter will be sent to all households with a Council kerbside waste collection in late July. The letter will include instructions for how to place your bins out to have the lids changed, an updated waste services brochure and a new ‘accepted items’ sticker for your recycling bin.

If you are unsure which day is your recycling collection day, you can check here. 

Frequently asked questions

Will you be changing the general waste bin lids every collection week?

No, we will only be changing bin lids on recycling collection days. We will change both your recycling and general waste bin lids at the same time. On your FOGO collection week, place your general waste bin out as normal. Our crews will not come to change your general waste bin lid on a FOGO collection day, so you can bring your general waste bin in once it has been emptied on those weeks.

What if I am away on holidays during the changeover?

If your bins are not presented the day we visit your area to change over the lids, we will leave a calling card to remind you to place them out on your next recycling bin collection day.  

If your bin lids are not changed by Monday 26 October, please contact Council and we will ensure they get changed over for you.

What do I do if my bin lids weren’t changed?

Continue to put your bins out on your usual recycling bin collection days, throughout the bin lid swap period (August, September and October). If one or more of your bin lids remain unchanged by Monday 26 October, please contact Council on 1300 88 22 33.

How do I find out my bin collection day?

You can view your bin collection day on our online mapping tool or by downloading our printable waste calendar. Both can be accessed on the Waste Collection Schedule page.

I have a sticker on my recycling bin/general waste bin - what is this for?

If your bin is damaged, our crew will leave a sticker on your bin asking you to leave it on the nature strip for 3 business days. We will return and replace your damaged bin with a new one. The new bin will have the new lid as well.  

If we need to replace your bin, please keep the bin empty and on the nature strip.  

If it has not been replaced within 3 business days, please contact Council on 1300 88 22 33.

I am not responsible for placing my bins out for collection, a maintenance person is. Will the lid still be changed?

During the bin lid swap period (August, September, October), all presented recycling bin lids will be changed to yellow and general waste bins changed to a red lid, regardless of who is responsible for placing it out on the nature strip.  

If you believe the bin has not been placed out to be changed over, please speak with whomever is responsible for the transfer of bins to and from the nature strip for collection at your property. This could be a maintenance person, cleaning staff, landscaper, building manager or owners corporation.  

If the bin lids have not been changed by Monday 26 October, please contact Council on 1300 88 22 33.

My bins are shared with neighbouring properties, will the lids still be changed?

Please speak to those you share bins with to ensure all shared general waste bins and/or recycling bins are placed on the nature strip on your recycling collection day, during the changeover period.

During the bin lid swap period (August, September, October), all presented recycling bin lids will be changed to yellow and general waste bins changed to a red lid, regardless of who is responsible for placing it out on the nature strip. 

If your bin lid(s) have not been changed by Monday 26 October, please contact Council on 1300 88 22 33.

My general waste bin lid is already red. Do I still need to leave it out?

Council started progressively changing general waste bins to red lids in 2021. These general waste bin replacements with the new red-lidded bins have only occurred in the following four scenarios: 

  1. at the start of a new service
  2. when a replacement bin is required in the case that a bin has been damaged and is not able to be repaired
  3. when a bin is lost or stolen
  4. where a lid needs to be fully replaced.

If your general waste bin already has a red lid due to the above circumstances, we will only change your recycling bin lid from blue to yellow.  

Please place your recycling bin out on your normal recycling collection days in August, September and October and leave it out until 5pm (even if empty), until the lid has been changed. You can bring your red-lidded general waste bin in once it has been emptied by our collection truck.  

 

What do I do with the sticker that came with the letter in my mail?

Please apply the sticker to your new yellow recycling bin lid. Please note, accepted recycling items have not changed, this is just an additional resource to help households recycle correctly.

I have more than one recycling bin/general waste bin. Should I put additional bins out as well?

Yes. Please leave all general waste and recycling bins out until 5pm on your usual recycling collection days, even if they are empty so we can change the lids for you.

My recycling bin/general waste bin is damaged - will it be replaced?

We will only replace entire bins that have structural damage such as large cracks, broken wheels, or handles. If your entire bin requires a changeover, our crew will leave a bright yellow sticker on your bin asking you to leave it out until the whole bin is replaced (up to 3 business days).  

If your bin is flagged by our crew as needing replacement, please leave it empty on the nature strip for 3 business days, or until the bin has been replaced with a new one. We cannot replace bins which have materials in them, so please ensure they remain empty.

What will happen to the old bins and bin lids?

The old lids will be recycled and used to create useful products such as new bins and bin lids.  

Any damaged bins that need replacing will also be recycled into new products. The entire bin is able to be recycled, including the wheels and axles.

Why is Council doing this?

This change is being implemented in response to the Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria Policy to standardise bin lid colours across the State, making it easier for everyone to use their bins correctly through consistent education and messaging.

Standard bin colours help to promote the correct use of general waste, recycling and organics kerbside bin collection services, and supports consistent education and messaging about the use of kerbside bins across Australia. 

 

Will there be any changes to when/how often my bins are collected?

No, there will be no changes to the frequency of our waste collections. The FOGO bin and recycling bin will continue to be collected fortnightly and your general waste bin will continue to be collected weekly.  

We are simply changing the colour of the bin lids to meet our legislated requirements of the Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria Policy, which brings us in line with the Australian standard colours for recycling bin and general waste bins.

I do not have a blue-lidded recycling bin. Will this bin lid changeover affect me?

If your property is serviced by a private waste collection contractor, these changes will not affect you. Please speak to your Owners Corporation or Body Corporate to discuss your options for recycling.

What is the recycled content of the new bins lids?

The lids supplied for the Maroondah bin lid standardisation project are manufactured from 20% recycled material. While the manufacturer incorporates high levels of Australian post-consumer recycled content into many bin bodies, lids are typically produced from virgin material to ensure optimum structural performance, colour consistency, UV resistance, and long-term durability.

As the lid is the most frequently handled component of the bin and is exposed to continual opening, closing and impact loads, virgin resin provides the highest level of strength, reliability, and service life, helping minimise maintenance and replacement requirements over the life of the asset.

Importantly, the existing lids removed as part of the changeover program are not sent to landfill. They are collected and recycled through approved plastic recycling streams, where the material is processed and remanufactured into new Mobile Garbage Bin’s. This ensures the valuable HDPE resource remains in circulation, supports Australian recycling markets, and contributes to circular economy outcomes by diverting plastic waste from landfill and reducing demand for virgin raw materials.

I have a commercial / industrial service collected by Maroondah City Council. Does this change affect me?

Yes, we will be changing the lids on all Council serviced bins. If you have a commercial or industrial Council kerbside waste service, you will receive a letter with further instructions in late July. The letter will include instructions for how to place your bins out to have the lids changed, an updated waste services brochure and a new ‘accepted items’ sticker for your recycling bin.

I am part of a community group/sporting club/kinder/school that operates out of a Council facility. We also have Council serviced general waste and/or recycling bins. Will this change affect us?

Yes, we will be changing the lids on all Council serviced bins. We will liaise with internal Council departments s to share this information with you and your club/school/facility throughout the project.

If your bin is presented to the kerbside:

Our crews will endeavour to change your bin lids alongside the residential change over.

From Monday 3 August until the end of October, please put your general waste and recycling bins out on your usual recycling collection day and leave them out until 5pm (even if the bins are empty).

During this period continue to place both your recycling and general waste bins out each recycling collection until your bin lids have been changed. We will only be changing bin lids on your usual recycling collection day. 

If your bins are stored in a bin cage/enclosure:

Council’s team will be changing these bin lids over via an internal process. There is nothing you need to do. Our internal change over team will visit your site and change your bin lids over throughout the project period.

If your bin lids have not been changed by Monday 26 October, or if you have any additional queries about the changeover of bin lids at your club/facility, please call Council on 1300 88 22 33 between 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, or email maroondah@maroondah.vic.gov.au.

 

 

 

Back to top