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health equipment
(powered by electricity
or battery)Remove batteries before discarding. Use
"Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
helmet 17
hibachi (brazier) 17
hole puncher 7
hoseDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
hose reel 17
hot plateUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized." 12, 17
humidifierRemove batteries before discarding. Use
"Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
I
IC recorder Remove batteries before discarding. 12
ice pickWrap it up in thick paper to prevent danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as "Combustible," wrap it up in thick paper and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.)12
ice shaverUse “Facilities” for electric ones that
are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or
smaller in size. Discard larger ones as
“Oversized.”12, 17
infant safety seat 17
inflatorDispose of manual ones as “Oversized.”Use “Facilities” for electric ones that
are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or
smaller in size. Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”17
inflator for bicyclesDispose of manual ones as “Oversized.” Use “Facilities” for electrical items that
are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or
smaller in size. Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”17
injection needleBe sure to return it to a medical institution where it was provided.20
ink cartridge 12
ink stone 8
insect cageDiscard ones that are light enough to be lifted with one hand as "Combustible."
Dispose of others as "Oversized." 8, 17
iron (for clothes) 12
iron dumbbell 17
ironing board 17
issho-bin (1.8-liter
glass bottle)Rinse inside. Broken bottles should
be wrapped in thick paper to prevent
danger, put in the center of a garbage
bag and discarded as "Combustible."12
itto-kan (18-liter oil
can)Empty it before discarding. 17
J
juicer, blenderRemove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
K
karaoke machine 17
Keisoudo
(diatomaceous earth)
productsDiscard up to two bags per disposal as “Combustible.” (The weight should not
exceed the limit that can be managed
by one hand.) Discard others as “Oversized.”8, 17
keroseneConsult with a dealer. Mobile collection service is also available (up to 20 liters).12, 20
kettle 7
keyboard (for personal
computers)Recycle ones with personal computers as in page 19. Use "Facilities" for others.12, 19
keyboard (musical
instrument)Use “Facilities” for ones that are H:30 cm
x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”12, 17
keysDiscard as “Combustible” for security
reasons.8
kimonoDispose of ones with heavy or unremovable stains as “Combustible.”12Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
kitchen range 17
Kleenex (tissue) 8
knifeWrap it up in thick paper to prevent danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as "Combustible," wrap it up in thick paper and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.)12
Knife (razor, box-cutter,
etc.)Wrap it up in thick paper to prevent
danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as "Combustible," wrap it up in thick paper and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.)12
kotatsu 17
L
ladder 17
ladleDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less
in length as “Metal” and others as
“Combustible.”7, 8
LAN cableDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less
in length as “Metal” and others as
“Combustible.”12
laptop computer 19
laserdiscCases with discs inside are also
accepted. Do not take cases only to
collection facilities. (Discard them as
"Combustible.")12
laserdisc playerUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized." 12, 17
laundry pole, clothes-
drying platform17
lawn mower (for
household use)17
LD playerUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30
cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
leather productDiscard up to two bags per disposal as
“Combustible.” (The weight should not
exceed the limit that can be managed
by one hand.) Dispose of others as “Oversized.”8
LEDWrap it up in thick paper, etc., and put it in the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger. 8
lidDispose of plastic ones as "Plastic" and
others as "Combustible."5, 8
light oilConsult with a dealer. Mobile collection service is also available (up to 20 liters).12, 20
lighter (disposable) 12
lighter (not disposable) Empty it before discarding. 8
lighting equipmentRemove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
lipstick 8
lithium-ion batteries
(rechargeable)Insulate the terminals before discarding. 12
locker 17
loupeWrap it up in thick paper and put it in the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger. 8
LP gas cylinder Consult with a dealer or a manufacturer. 20
M
magazine See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
Magic Marker 8
magnet 8
magnifying glassWrap it up in thick paper and put it in
the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger.8
mailboxDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less
in length as "Metal" and others as
"Oversized."7, 17
massage chair 17
mat, mattress 17
match Soak it in water before discarding. 8
MD player Remove batteries before discarding. 12
measure 8
measuring tape 8


31 Combustible garbage
 Cans, glass bottles and PET bottles
 Plastic containers and packages
 Small metal objects and spray cans
 Oversized garbage* Collection services at city-designated facilities
 Recyclable paper other than newspaper, cardboard and cartons
 Not collected in Kyoto City
 Should be recycled under the Recycling Act
 Dealers have their own collecting routes
*It is not acceptable to break down or disassemble oversized garbage and discard it as combustibles. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in the smooth operation of garbage collection and disposal.
*Collection services at  are available (free of charge) for “small home appliances” that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.Classification mark list
P12
P9 - 12
P19(Some items cannot be collected, depending on collection
facilities. Refer to the recyclables collection map.)Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
medical equipment
(needleless)Dispose of plastic bags, tubes and
catheters used for home medical care as
“Combustible.”8
medical equipment
(with needle)Be sure to return equipment with needles
such as injectors used for home medical
care to the medical institution, etc. where
they were provided.20
mechanical pencil 8
medicine (redundant
and no longer
necessary)8
metal net (plate-like
item)Dispose of simply-designed metal ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and
others as "Oversized." 7, 17
metal plate (oil guard,
etc.)Dispose of simply-designed metal ones
30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and
others as "Oversized."7, 17
microwave ovenUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30
cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
milk bottle Return it to a dealer.
mirrorDiscard ones that are light enough to be
lifted with one hand as "Combustible."
Wrap them up in thick paper and put
them in the center of a garbage bag to prevent danger. Dispose of others as
"Oversized."8, 17
MO/MD/LD diskCases with disks inside are also
accepted. Do not take cases only to
collection facilities. (Discard them as
"Combustible.")12
moisture absorbentDrain any excess liquid before
discarding.8
mop 17
mortarStone mortars are not accepted. Consult
with a dealer.17
motorbikeConsult with a dealer or the Motorcycle Recycling Call Center.20
motorcycleConsult with a dealer or the Motorcycle Recycling Call Center.20
motorized bicycleConsult with a dealer or the Motorcycle Recycling Call Center.20
mouseRecycle ones with personal computers as in page 19. Use "Facilities" for others.12, 19
music boxDiscard ones that are light enough to be lifted with one hand as "Combustible."
Dispose of others as "Oversized." 8, 17
N
nailWrap it up in thick paper and put it in
the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger.8
needleWrap it up in thick paper and put it in
the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger.8
net (for onions,
oranges, etc.)6
net (for the kitchen
sink, etc.)Drain any excess liquid before
discarding.8
newspaper See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
nickel-cadmium
battery (rechargeable)Insulate the terminals before discarding. 12
nickel hydrogen battery
(rechargeable)Insulate the terminals before discarding. 12
notebook See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
nursing bottle 8
O
oil (edible)Limited to plant-derived oil. Concerning
animal fat such as lard, absorb it into
paper and discard as “Combustible.”12
oil (for cars, etc.)Consult with a gas station or a dealer.
Mobile collection service is also available
(up to 20 liters).12, 20Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
oil (for machinery)Consult with a dealer. Mobile collection
service is also available (up to 20 liters).12, 20
oil can (machine oil)Empty it before discarding. Discard itto-kan (18-liter oil can) as "Oversized."8
oil guard (used around
stoves)Dispose of aluminum foil ones as "Combustible," simply-designed metal
ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal,"
and others as "Oversized."7, 8, 17
oil heaterNot accepted at the city’s Incineration Plants. Apply for collection at Kyoto City
Large Trash Collection Center. 17
oil strainerDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less
in length as "Metal" and others as
"Combustible."7, 8
organ 17
outer film of bento
(lunch) container5
P
pachinko (pinball)
machine for household
use17
padlock 7
paintMobile collection service is also
available.8, 12
panel heater 17
paper bag See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
partition 17
pen caseDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as “Metal” and others as
"Combustible." 7, 8
pencil sharpener
(electric)Remove batteries from battery-operated
items before discarding.12
personal computerIncluding standard accessories attached to the main body.19
personal computer
desk (rack)17
PET bottle Remove caps and labels. 3
PET bottle cap/label 5
pet house 17
pet toilet sheet 8
petroleumConsult with a dealer. Mobile collection service is also available (gasoline: up to
4 liters, others: up to 20 liters). 12, 20
photograph 8
piano Consult with a dealer or a vendor. 20
pickle barrel 17
picnic blanketDiscard ones that are light enough to be
lifted with one hand as "Combustible."
Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
piece of paper, paper
core, empty paper box See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
pillowDispose of ones that can be put in a
designated bag as "Combustible" (the
bag should be tied closed). Discard
others as "Oversized."8, 17
pinholder (for flower
arrangement)Wrap it up in thick paper to prevent danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as "Combustible," wrap it up in thick paper and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.)12
pipe 17
pipe hanger 17
pipe-framed bed 17
plant, plant potDiscard up to two bags per disposal
as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17


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planterDiscard up to two bags per disposal
as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
plastic bagDispose of plastic bags wrapping products as "Plastic" and others as "Combustible."5, 8
plastic bag, tube,
catheter for home
medical care* Be sure to return equipment with needles such as injectors to the medical
institution, etc. where they were provided. 8
plastic container for
keroseneEmpty it before discarding. 17
plastic model 8
plastic packaging filmRinse off dirt. Dispose of ones with
unremovable dirt as "Combustible."5
plastic sheet laid under
writing paper8
pocket planner Remove parts other than paper. 9-12
pocket warmerDispose of the main body as “Combustible” and its outer package as “Plastic.” Discard
rechargeable ones as “Facilities.” 8
polyethylene tank 17
pool (wading pool for
household use)17
portable cooking stove 17
portable gas stoveUse “Facilities” for battery-powered
items that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x
D:40 cm or smaller in size after removing
batteries and cassette gas cylinders. Discard others as “Oversized.”12
portable liquid crystal
display TV/radioRemove batteries before discarding. 12
portable player (MD,
CD, etc.)Remove batteries before discarding. 12
portable toilet 17
postcard See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
poster See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
potDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and others as
"Oversized." 7, 17
pottyDispose of ones that can be put in a bag
and lifted with one hand as “Combustible.”
(Ceramic ones should be wrapped up in
thick paper, etc. and put them in the center of a garbage bag to prevent danger.)
Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”8, 17
power cord, power
stripBundle cords up to prevent them from
tangling.12
power-assisted bicycle Its batteries are not accepted. 17
pressure cookerDispose of ones 30 cm or less in length including handles as "Metal" and others
as "Oversized." 7, 17
printerRemove ink cartridges and use
“Facilities” for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”12, 17
pushcart 17
PVC tarpaulinDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
R
rack 17
racket (for tennis,
badminton, etc.)Discard up to two bags per disposal
as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
radio, radio-cassette
playerRemove batteries before discarding. Use
"Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
raincoat 8
randoseru
(schoolchild's satchel)8
raw garbage (scraps)Drain any excess liquid completely before discarding.8
razorWrap it up in thick paper, etc. to prevent danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as “Combustible,” wrap it up in thick paper, etc. and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.) Use
“Facilities” for electric razors after removing batteries.12Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
rear-projection
television17
rechargeable batteryCollection at “Facilities” is also available for the disposal of small rechargeable
batteries (nickel-cadmium, nickel
hydrogen, and lithium-ion batteries). Insulate the terminals before discarding.12
record 12
refillable containerRinse the insides. Dispose of ones with a “プラ”mark as “Plastic” and others as
“Combustible.” 5, 8
refrigerant 8
refrigerator/freezer 19
remote control Remove batteries before discarding. 12
rice bin 17
rice cookerRemove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
rice scoopDispose of metal ones as “Metal” and others as “Combustible.”8
rice-cake maker (for
household use)Remove batteries before discarding. Use
"Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
ride-on and play
equipment for children
(tricycle, bicycle, swing,
etc.)17
rodDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and others that are
light enough to be lifted with one hand
as "Combustible." Discard others as
"Oversized."7, 8, 17
roller skate, roller blade 17
rope 8
rubber band 8
rubber product (rubber
glove, rubber boot, etc.)8
rug 17
rulerDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less
in length as “Metal” and others as
“Combustible.”8
rush mat 17
S
safe (fireproof safe)Consult with a dealer depending on the
weight. Empty it before discarding.* Not
accepted at the city’s Incineration Plants.
Apply for collection at Kyoto City Large Trash Collection Center.17
sandDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
sandal 8
sandpaper 8
sanitary item 8
sawWrap it up in thick paper to prevent danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as "Combustible," wrap it up in thick paper and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.) Dispose
of electric chain saws as "Oversized."12
scannerRemove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
scissorsWrap them up in thick paper to prevent danger and take them to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
them as "Combustible," wrap them up in thick paper and put them in the center of
a garbage bag to prevent danger.)12
screen door 17
screwWrap it up in thick paper and put it in
the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger.8
scrub brush 8
sewing machineUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30
cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17


33 Combustible garbage
 Cans, glass bottles and PET bottles
 Plastic containers and packages
 Small metal objects and spray cans
 Oversized garbage* Collection services at city-designated facilities
 Recyclable paper other than newspaper, cardboard and cartons
 Not collected in Kyoto City
 Should be recycled under the Recycling Act
 Dealers have their own collecting routes
*It is not acceptable to break down or disassemble oversized garbage and discard it as combustibles. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in the smooth operation of garbage collection and disposal.
*Collection services at  are available (free of charge) for “small home appliances” that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.Classification mark list
P12
P9 - 12
P19(Some items cannot be collected, depending on collection
facilities. Refer to the recyclables collection map.)Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
sheetDispose of dirty ones as "Combustible."
Discard up to two bags per disposal
as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."12
shelf (bookshelf,
cupboard, etc.)17
shichirin (small
portable stove for
cooking with charcoal)17
shoe, bootDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
shogi board 17
shoji (paper sliding
door)17
shovelDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and others that are
light enough to be lifted with one hand
as "Combustible." Discard others as "Oversized."7, 8, 17
sickleWrap it up in thick paper, etc. to prevent danger and take it to city-designated
collection facilities. (When discarding
it as “Combustible,” wrap it up in thick paper, etc. and put it in the center of a
garbage bag to prevent danger.)12
sideboard 17
skateboard 17
skewerBamboo, plastic and metal items are all “Combustible.” Wrap them up in thick
paper, etc. and put them in the center of a garbage bag to prevent danger. 8
ski gear 17
slipper 8
smartphone Some types are collected by carriers. 12
sneaker 8
snowboard 17
sockDispose of ones with heavy or unremovable stains as "Combustible."12
sofa 17
soilDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
spatulaDispose of metal ones as "Metal" and others as "Combustible."7, 8
speakerRemove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
sphygmomanometerDigital or mercury sphygmomanometers. Dispose of others as "Combustible."12
sponge 8
spoonDispose of metal ones as “Metal” and others as “Combustible.”7, 8
spray canIf gas is left inside, empty it outdoors where there is no fire. Do not make a
hole in a spray can. Dispose of its plastic
cap as "Plastic."7
stand (TV stand,
telephone stand, stand
for offered flowers,
etc.) 17
staplerDispose of the main body and staples as
“Combustible.”8
stepladder 17
storage caseDispose of plastic ones that can be put in a bag and lifted with one hand as
“Combustible.” Discard larger ones as
“Oversized” and paper ones as “Paper.”8, 9-12,
17Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
storage shed, chest 17
stoveDispose of petroleum/kerosene stoves as “Oversized.” Use “Facilities” for electric
items that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40
cm or smaller in size. Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”12, 17
strainerDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as “Metal” and others as
“Combustible.” Discard larger ones
as “Oversized” and plastic items as “Combustible.”7, 8, 17
strawDiscard its plastic outer package as "Plastic."8
string (packing string) 8
stuffed toyDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
StyrofoamDispose of product containers and cushioning materials as "Plastic" and
others as "Combustible." 5, 8
suit locker (made of
nylon or fabric)17
suitcase Empty it before discarding. 17
swimming tube 8
swing (for household
use)17
T
tablet computerRefer to page 19 for ones with a PC
recycling mark. Use "Facilities" for
others.12, 19
table-tennis table 17
tablewareUse "Facilities" for ceramic ones
(accepted by mobile collection services
only). Dispose of metal ones as "Metal"
and others as "Combustible."7, 8, 12
tape recorder Remove batteries before discarding. 12
tatami 17
tea cup/bowlUse "Facilities" for ceramic ones (accepted by mobile collection services
only). In the case of others, discard up to
two bags per disposal as “Combustible." (The weight should not be more than
can be lifted with one hand.) Dispose of
others as "Oversized."8, 12, 17
teapotUse "Facilities" for ceramic ones (accepted by mobile collection
services only). Dispose of others as
"Combustible."8, 12
telephone directory See pages 9-12 if you failed to return it. 9-12
telephone set (including
fax machine)Remove batteries before discarding. Use
"Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
telescope 17
television 19
tent 17
textbook See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
thermal paper (receipt,
etc.)Discard as “Combustible” as they are unrecyclable.8
thermometerDigital or mercury thermometers. Dispose of others as "Combustible."12
thermosDispose of ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and others as "Oversized."7, 17
thinnerConsult with a dealer. Mobile collection service is also available.12, 19
thumbtackDispose of both metal and plastic ones as “Combustible.” Wrap them up in thick
paper, etc., and put them in the center of
a garbage bag to prevent danger.8
tile 17


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timberDispose of ones that can be put in
a bag and lifted with one hand as
“Combustible.” (*Up to two bags per
disposal.) Discard others as “Oversized.”8, 17
tire Consult with a dealer. 20
toasterRemove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
toaster ovenUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized." 12, 17
toilet seat 17
toothbrush (excluding
electric items)8
towelDispose of ones with heavy or
unremovable stains as "Combustible."12
toxic substance
(powerful drug)Consult with a dealer. 20
toy (powered by
electricity or battery)Remove batteries before discarding.Use “Facilities” for ones that are H:30 cm
x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”12, 17
trash boxDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as “Metal.” Discard plastic
ones that can be put in a bag as
“Combustible.” (The bag should be tied closed.) Discard others as “Oversized.”7, 8, 17
tray (for food) 5
tricycle 17
trimmed tree branchBundle branches that are 50 cm or less in length and 10 cm or less in diameter.
Put fallen leaves in a translucent bag.
A mobile collection service is available for waste of 20 kg or less in weight. A
recycling collection service as a model
project is available for up to two bags or two bundles per disposal (The weight
should not exceed the limit that can be
managed by one hand.) Discard other items as “Oversized” and small amounts
as “Combustible.”8, 12, 17
trouser press 17
trumpet 17
trunk 17
tube (container)Rinse the insides. Discard as
“Combustible” if stains cannot be
removed.
Dispose of ones used for home medical care as “Combustible.” * Be sure to
return equipment with needles such as
injectors to the medical institution, etc. where they were provided.5, 8
tube of shoe polishSince stains cannot be removed, discard it as "Combustible." 8
Tupperware 8
U
umbrellaDiscard up to two umbrellas per bag as "Combustible." Dispose of others
as "Oversized" (up to 20 umbrellas per
disposal).8, 17
umbrella stand 17
underwearDispose of ones with heavy or unremovable stains as "Combustible."8, 12
unicycle 17
USB memory stick 12
used clothingDispose of ones with heavy or unremovable stains as “Combustible.”12
used tea leaves 8
V
vacuum cleanerRemove batteries before discarding when possible. Use “Facilities” for items
whose main body is H:30 cm x W:40 cm
x D:40 cm or smaller in size. Discard larger ones as “Oversized.”12, 17
vaseDispose of ones including ceramics that are light enough to be lifted with
one hand as “Combustible.” Wrap them
up in thick paper, etc. and put them in the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger. Discard others as “Oversized.”8, 17Item Classification Point for disposal Related page
ventilating fanUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30
cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
video camera Remove batteries before discarding. 12
video tapeCases with tapes inside are also
accepted. Do not take cases only to
collection facilities. (Discard them as
"Combustible.")12
videocassette recorderUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized." 12, 17
W
wagon (for kitchen) 17
walking stickDispose of ones that can be put in
a bag and lifted with one hand as
“Combustible.” Discard others as
“Oversized.”8, 17
wallpaperDiscard up to two bags per disposal as "Combustible." (The weight should
not be more than can be lifted with one
hand.) Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
washclothDispose of ones with heavy or unremovable stains as "Combustible."12
washing machine 19
waste cooking oil for
deep-fryingLimited to plant-derived oil. Concerning animal fat such as lard, absorb it into
paper and discard as "Combustible." 12
waste oil (machine oil)Consult with a dealer. Mobile collection
service is also available (up to 20 liters).12, 20
water bottleDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as "Metal" and others as
"Combustible." 7, 8
water heaterUse “Facilities” for portable electric ones
(electric kettles) that are H:30 cm x W:40
cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size. Discard
larger ones as “Oversized.”12, 17
water potRefer to "electric pot" for electric types. If it is light enough to be lifted with one
hand and its garbage bag can be tied
closed, discard it as "Combustible." Dispose of others as "Oversized."8, 17
water purifier 17
watering canDispose of metal ones 30 cm or less in length as “Metal” and larger ones as
“Oversized.” Discard plastic ones as
“Combustible.”7, 8, 17
water-purifying
cartridgeDrain any excess liquid before discarding.8
waxConsult with a dealer. Mobile collection service is also available.12, 20
weight scale (bathroom
scale)Remove batteries before discarding. Use "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
wheel Consult with a dealer. 20
whetstone 8
wine cellar 19
wireWrap it up in thick paper, etc. and put it in the center of a garbage bag to prevent
danger. 8
wireless equipmentRemove batteries before discarding. Use
"Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x
W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in size.
Discard larger ones as "Oversized."12, 17
wood panel 17
wooden itemsDispose of ones that can be put in a bag and lifted with one hand as
“Combustible.” (Up to two bags per
disposal.) Discard others as “Oversized.”8, 17
wooden sword 17
word processorUse "Facilities" for ones that are H:30 cm x W:40 cm x D:40 cm or smaller in
size. Discard larger ones as "Oversized." 12, 17
wrapping paper See pages 9-12 for how to discard. 9-12
wristwatchRemove batteries before discarding
when possible.12


Contact information for inquiries regarding carrying in garbage
North East Incineration Plant TEL. 075-741-1003
South Incineration Plant TEL. 075-611-5362
North East Incineration Plant
Add: 1339 Shizuichi-Ichihara-cho, Sakyo-kuSouth Incineration Plant
Add: 29 Yokooji-Hattanda, Fushimi-ku
Reception hoursMonday–Friday; and also on the second and the fourth
Saturdays of the month9:00 a.m. - Noon, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.*Open on national holidays
Holidays Sundays, First, third and fi  fth Saturdays of the monthContact information for inquiries regarding oversized garbage
Application Toll free 0120-100-530
Application from cell phones Chargeable callTEL. 0570-000-247
Inquiries about oversized garbage other than the above
Center for Clean Life EnvironmentTEL. 075-691-9376
Contact information for inquiries regarding dead animals
such as dogs and cats (including wild animals)
Application Toll free 0120-100-921
Application from cell phones Chargeable callTEL. 0570-000-614
Inquiries about dead animals other than the above
Center for Clean Life EnvironmentTEL. 075-691-9376
Related sections of the Environmental Policy Bureau
Waste Reduction Promotion Section TEL. 075-213-4930
City Beautifi  cation Section TEL. 075-213-4960
Facility Management Section TEL. 075-212-9820Contact information
Higashiyama Counter for Ecological Activities
(2nd fl  oor of Higashiyama Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0182
Shimogyo Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Shimogyo Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0186
Minami Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Minami Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0188Sakyo Counter for Ecological Activities
(2nd fl  oor of Sakyo Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0821
Yamashina Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Yamashina Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0184
Daigo Counter for Ecological Activities
(2nd fl  oor of Daigo Ward Branch Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0311
Fushimi Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Fushimi Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0196
Fukakusa Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Fukakusa Ward Branch Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0198
*For inquiries about garbage collection and transport, contact a relevant Beautifi  cation Offi  ce.Nishikyo Counter for Ecological Activities
(2nd fl  oor of Nishikyo Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0192
Rakusai Counter for Ecological Activities
(2nd fl  oor of Rakusai Ward Branch Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0194Nakagyo Counter for Ecological
Activities
(1st fl  oor of Nakagyo Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0180
*In charge of the entire area of Nakagyo Ward
Ukyo Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Ukyo Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0190Kita Counter for Ecological Activities
(2nd fl  oor of Kita Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0155
Kamigyo Counter for Ecological Activities
(1st fl  oor of Kamigyo Ward Offi  ce) TEL. 075-366-0776
Ukyo Ward
Kita Ward
Kamigyo
Ward
Nakagyo
WardSakyo WardNorth East
Incineration Plant
South Incineration PlantYamashina
Ward
Fushimi WardHigashiyama
WardShimogyo
WardNishikyo
Ward
Minami WardCenter for Clean Life Environment
62-1 Nishikujo-Morimoto-cho, Minami-ku
・ Collection of oversized garbage, and dead animals
such as dogs and cats
　TEL075-691-9376・ Collection of human excrement, etc.
　(Register, etc. ) 　TEL075-691-4437
　(Collection ) TEL075-681-5361North Ward Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Kita Ward and Kamigyo Ward)
17-3 Kamigamo-Maeda-cho, Kita-ku TEL. 075-724-8881
West Ward Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Ukyo Ward and the area on the west side of Horikawa-
dori in Nakagyo Ward)
57-1 Saiin-Nishikaigawa-cho, Ukyo-ku TEL. 075-882-5787
Fushimi Ward Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Fushimi Ward) *Excluding Daigo area
447 Yokooji-Senryomatsu-cho, Fushimi-ku
TEL. 075-601-7161Nishikyo Ward Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Nishikyo Ward)
37 Katagihara-Hakaridani-cho, Nishikyo-ku
TEL. 075-391-5983Yamashina Ward
Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Yamashina Ward and Daigo area of Fushimi Ward)
3 Ono-Yumiden-cho, Yamashina-ku TEL. 075-573-2457East Ward Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Sakyo Ward and the area on the east side of
Horikawa-dori in Nakagyo Ward)
34-3 Takano-Nishibiraki-cho, Sakyo-ku TEL. 075-722-4345
South Ward Beautifi  cation Offi  ce
(In charge of Minami Ward, Higashiyama Ward and Shimogyo Ward)
50 Nishikujo-Morimoto-cho, Minami-ku TEL. 075-681-0456
North East Incineration
Plant
Ichihara Bypass
Kyoto HirogawaraMiyama RouteShikurobashiIchihara
Eizan Railway,Kurama Line
Kamo-kaido
RoadKamo River
Kurama-kaido RoadKyoto Seika
UniversitySoto-Kanjo-sen Loop Line
Katsura River
Kyoto Moriguchi RouteYokooji
Sports Park
Kyoto Race CourseYokoojiOtesuji-dori
Chushojima
Keihan RailwayUji RiverRoute 1South Incineration Plant
Kyoto City Printed Matter No.303168 issued by the Waste Reduction
Promotion Section, the Environmental Policy Bureau in March 2019The above contact information is as of March 2019 and is subject to change.
If you cannot get through, please contact Kyoto Itsudemo Call.
Kyoto Itsudemo Call  TEL. 075-661-3755   FAX. 075-661-5855  8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Open seven days a week year-round)Kyoto City waste reduction, separation and recycling general information site
Kyoto Kogomi Net http://kyoto-kogomi.net kogomi net Search
Waste reduction by half
campaign, Kyoto City
Kogomi App.
This project utilizes
revenue from
designated paid
bags for household
garbage.


Advice on
April 2020Recycling and
resource recovery
infrastructure


Infrastructure Victoria is an independent
advisory body with three functions:
\ preparing a 30-year infrastructure strategy
for Victoria, which is refreshed every three
to five years
\ providing written advice to government
on specific infrastructure matters
\ publishing original research on infrastructure-
related issues.
Infrastructure Victoria also supports the
development of sectoral infrastructure plans
by government departments and agencies.
The aim of Infrastructure Victoria is to take a
long-term, evidence-based view of infrastructure
planning and raise the level of community
debate about infrastructure provision.
Infrastructure Victoria does not directly
oversee or fund infrastructure projects.
Aboriginal acknowledgment
Infrastructure Victoria acknowledges the
traditional owners of country in Victoria
and pays respect to their elders past and
present, as well as elders of other Aboriginal
communities. We recognise that the state’s
infrastructure is built on land that has been
managed by Aboriginal people for millennia.About us


Contents
Executive summary 04
Recycling and resource
recovery – by the numbers  06
T erms of reference 08
Recycling and resource
recovery infrastructure outcomes 10
Recommendations 13
What we found 42
Improved waste avoidance, recycling
and resource recovery are key in a
circular economy 44
 Waste generation in Victoria,
now and into the future 45
There are six key materials
for the sector to manage 47
Plastics 50
Glass 52
Organics 54
Paper and cardboard 56
Tyres 58
E-waste 60
 Residual waste 62
More resources, less waste 64
Recycling can create more jobs than disposal 65Infrastructure is unevenly spread 67
Waste transport 68
Future infrastructure provision 68
Not investing can be expensive 70
Supplements to infrastructure investment 72
 Market failures are stopping the
sector from performing at its best 75
Sorting MSW 76
Procurement of waste services 78
Funding of waste processing services 79
 Governance and policy settings
in the sector are not quite right 80
The role of local governments
and the WRRGs 82
Data collection and reporting 83
The end markets for materials vary greatly 84
Markets are important 85
Market development approaches 86
What we heard from
our stakeholders 87
Methodology 91
Appendix A
Resource recovery infrastructure
forecast investment – 2039 94
Appendix B
Defined terms 100
Sources 102
List of figures 103
03


Executive
summary
Victoria’s recycling and resource
recovery sector is under increasing
pressure. The amount of waste
being generated is growing while
our resource recovery rates have
stagnated. Simultaneously, changes
in international markets, combined
with weak end markets in Victoria,
have led to large amounts of recyclables
being stockpiled or sent to landfill.
In April 2019, the Victorian Government
asked Infrastructure Victoria to help address
these issues and provide advice on the
infrastructure required, and the role for
government, to improve recycling and
resource recovery in Victoria.
Our advice builds on the considerable
work underway across the Victorian
Government and supports the state’s
move to a circular economy, where we
all minimise waste and make the most
of resources. Shifting to a more circular
economy will grow the economy,
increase jobs and reduce impacts
on the environment.
In this report, we have identified Victoria’s
specific infrastructure needs in the sector.
We have also developed the most
comprehensive and up-to-date data
of current and projected waste generation
in Victoria and infrastructure capacity and
capability. The data and methodology
developed for this report can support
infrastructure investment and network
management across Victoria.We make 13 recommendations to the
Government on infrastructure, supporting
actions and governance, all of which have
been tested against a set of outcomes
developed with stakeholder input. Our work
shows there is not one single approach
to achieve these outcomes. All levels of
government, business and households
will need to work together if we are to
realise the huge opportunity before us.
We estimate about $1.21 billion worth
of resources was recovered in Victoria
in 2018/19. While highly dependent on
commodity prices, this figure demonstrates
the potential that higher rates of resource
recovery could deliver to the state every
year, particularly if these materials are
processed and used in Victoria.
Victorians are passionate about recycling
but some have lost confidence in the
system, with around a quarter of people
we polled thinking the contents of their
recycling bins ends up in landfill. However,
the community also has a high level of
willingness to help improve recycling
outcomes, with 92% of people saying they
are willing to change the way they sort their
rubbish. This indicates a strong desire from
the community to do the right thing and an
opportunity to rebuild trust in the system.
The Victorian Government is already
working hard to address these challenges.
It has provided funding of $135 million since
2015 for waste and resource recovery
initiatives. The recently released Recycling Victoria: A new economy provides
the overarching policy framework and
long-term focus the sector needs if it
is to meet Victoria’s growing recycling
and resource recovery needs.
Our advice focuses on six priority materials:
\ plastics
\ paper and cardboard
\ glass
\ organics
\ tyres
\ e-waste.
This is because some materials we
dispose of and recover are more
problematic, or present greater
opportunities than others. Our evidence
shows that improving recycling of these
six materials has the potential to deliver
the greatest benefit to Victoria.
The infrastructure we have identified in this
report supports improved resource recovery
for priority materials and enables more to
be reprocessed and re-used in Victoria.
We have identified 87 potential new or
upgraded facilities – 52 in regional Victoria
– to ensure Victoria has the capacity and
capability to meet our needs, now and into
the future. While this will require significant
initial investment from both government
and business, it should be viewed in the
context of value that can be captured
from increasing resource recovery on
an ongoing basis.
04
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria


Expanded infrastructure is just part of
the solution. High-performing jurisdictions,
like Wales, Germany, South Korea and
South Australia, have used a mix of policy,
regulatory and financial interventions.
These include targets, taxes, incentives
and investments over the long term to
achieve their current high levels of resource
recovery. This is a clear lesson for Victoria
about what can be achieved with the
right mix of policies.
Improving the quality of the materials going
into the recycling and resource recovery
system is another key focus as it impacts
the quality of the materials produced,
and the cost of processing these materials.
At the same time, it is important to ensure
that there is enough demand for these
resources to meet supply.
Making it easier for Victorians to recycle
correctly is one of the keys to cleaner
materials streams.
We recommend a clear and consistent
approach to kerbside collections across
the state, supported by greater separation
of materials – including organics, glass,
paper and cardboard. This should be
accompanied by an ongoing behaviour
change campaign to ensure Victorians
understand what they need to do and are
assured that their efforts are not wasted.
The Victorian Government can play
an active role in stimulating demand
and supporting markets for recovered
resources. Research and development funding to identify and test new uses
for recovered materials can create new
markets. As Recycling Victoria recognises,
Government can demonstrate its
commitment to greater recycling and
resource recovery by buying products
made from recovered materials.
The Victorian Government can further
demonstrate its leadership in the recycling
and resource recovery sector by reviewing
and updating its own governance
arrangements. Implementation of
Recycling Victoria will be an opportunity
to provide greater clarity of the roles
and responsibilities of different agencies.
This can make it easier for other players
to navigate the sector and empower
local governments in their delivery of
waste services. Also, a clearer position
on the role of waste-to-energy, to reduce
the amount of waste going to landfill as
the state transitions toward a more circular
economy, could encourage greater
investment in this technology. These
efforts can be further supported by
improving the collection and sharing
of quality performance data to support
ongoing policy development and measure
progress. Consistent with other high
performers around the world, we support
the introduction of targets to drive
performance.
Funding for these initiatives will come
from both Government and the private
sector. The Victorian Government has
committed $300 million to deliver the Recycling Victoria policy. The Victorian
Government has several additional
funding streams available to support the
necessary transition through annual budget
allocations, the Sustainability Fund and
other economic development programs.
The Australian Government also has
a role to play by supporting transitional
infrastructure investments and through
encouraging producers to take greater
responsibility for the products they create
when they reach their end-of-life. Extended
Producer Responsibility schemes are in
use internationally and are particularly
effective in managing hard-to-recycle
products and reducing problematic
materials.
Our advice represents 12 months of
evidence gathering and development,
as well as significant stakeholder and
community engagement. With the
right settings in place, investment in
infrastructure for collections, processing
and energy recovery, we can not only
meet the growing need for resource
recovery but also support our long-term
transition to a circular economy and better
outcomes for all Victorians. We have identified 87 potential new or
upgraded facilities – 52 in regional Victoria
– to ensure Victoria has the capacity and
capability to meet our needs, now and
into the future.
05
Introduction Infrastructure Victoria


Recycling and
resource recovery
by the numbers02.
06Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria


69%
Approximately $1 billion
investment required by 2039
Over 5,000 jobs could be created by
2039 if 90% recovery rate is achieved87 new or upgraded facilities,
52 in regional Victoria
Around 1.46 million tonnes of organic
waste will be generated in 2039.
The food organics/garden organics
recovery rate is currently 20% –
almost all of this is recoverable 69% current recovery ratePlastics Paper and
cardboardGlass Organics Tyres E-waste
3.1 million tonnes of processing
capacity required3.1 million
tonnesTotal annual value of potential
resource recovery in 2018/19
– $1.2 billion$1.2
billion$
93% 89%
93% of Victorian households feel it is
important to reduce non-recovered
waste, and 89% are open to changing
how their household sorts waste
$1 billion
5,000+
jobsx 87
facilitiesNowSix priority materials
In the future
07Recycling and resource recovery – by the numbers Infrastructure Victoria


T erms of
reference
In April 2019 the Special Minister of State
requested Infrastructure Victoria provide
advice on the infrastructure required and
the role of government to improve the
performance of Victoria’s recycling and
resource recovery sector.03.
08Infrastructure Victoria Advice on recycling and resource recovery


The Government requested advice
on the infrastructure required and the
role of Government to:
\ Develop Victoria’s reprocessing sector
for recycled material, particularly those
that currently rely heavily on overseas
markets, such as plastics.
\ Enable the use of products containing
recycled materials in a variety
of Victorian industries, such as
manufacturing, construction
and agriculture.
\ Support a waste-to-energy sector
that prioritises the extraction of recyclable
material and recovers energy only
from residual waste.
\ Support high levels of resource recovery
for organics, particularly food organics.
Infrastructure Victoria was asked to
undertake comprehensive engagement with
industry, the community, government, local
government and other key stakeholders,
draw on international comparisons and
research, and develop its own modelling
and analysis to inform the advice.The advice was requested
in two parts:
01.
An interim report, within six months
of the request, setting out key early
findings, significant risks or opportunities,
and the proposed strategic direction
of the final advice. The interim report
was published in October 2019.
02.
A final report, supported by evidence and
analysis, detailing potential infrastructure
requirements for the recycling and resource
recovery sector. The final advice will also
consider the regulatory, policy and market
settings that underpin the recycling and
resource recovery sector and identify
potential timing of infrastructure delivery.
The full terms of reference are on
our website.
A note on methodology
To inform our advice, we commissioned
and undertook detailed technical analysis
across a range of subject matter areas.
A summary of our approach to this
work can be found in Section 8 of this
report. All the analysis can be found
in the full set of reports available at
infrastructurevictoria.com.au
09Terms of reference Infrastructure Victoria


In recent years, the lack of an overarching policy framework and
shared objectives for the Victorian recycling and resource recovery
sector has been a barrier.
However, considerable work is
underway across the Victorian
Government to improve recycling
and resource recovery and
increase resilience.
In our Evidence Base Report, we
proposed outcomes for the sector.
We asked for feedback so we could
refine these outcomes and develop
our final advice to government. Based on feedback from stakeholders,
we have developed outcomes that
reflect the principles of a circular
economy, emphasise the waste
hierarchy and meet the requirements
outlined in the terms of reference
for this advice. Figure 1 illustrates
these proposed outcomes.
The recommendations in this report represent the key actions
we think are necessary to achieve these outcomes.04.
Recycling and resource
recovery infrastructure
outcomes
Infrastructure Victoria Advice on recycling and resource recovery
10


Figure 1: Recycling
and resource recovery
infrastructure outcomes
Waste management
hierarchy applied
within a circular
economyInnovation and
markets for materialsResource recovery and recycling
infrastructure is connected,
effective, efﬁcient, planned,
protected and safe
Waste generation
is declining and
materials streams
are cleanStrong demand
for recycled
and reusable
productsGovernments
and agencies
have clear
roles and are
appropriately
fundedVictoria has
sufﬁcient
strategically
located
recovery and
recycling
infrastructure
Effective policy
and regulation,
proactive
licensing and
complianceHigh quality
public data,
targets and
progress
reportingBusiness,
government,
community
and academia
collaborate
to maximise
resource reuse
Product standards and
speciﬁcations enable
recycling and inspire
product conﬁdenceResponsibility and costs
for waste, recovery and
recycling are distributed
appropriately Reuse, recovery
and recycling
rates are
increasingSuccess looks likeSuccess looks like
Success looks likeSuccess looks like
Recycling and resource recovery infrastructure outcomes
11Infrastructure Victoria


Summary of
recommendations
Improve infrastructure capacity
and capability for recovering and
reprocessing priority materials
Increase the diversion of organic
waste from landfills
Provide clarity to the waste-to-energy sector
& establish regulatory settings to achieve
desired waste-to-energy outcomes
Review funding mechanisms to increase
infrastructure capacity and capability
Provide ongoing statewide and locally
tailored behaviour change programs
Reduce contamination
in materials streams
Introduce waste
minimisation initiatives
Remove barriers and strengthen
markets for priority materials
Ensure that producers and consumers
involved in making and using products
share the responsibility for their fate
Provide greater clarity of roles and
responsibilities of Victorian Government bodies
involved in recycling and resource recovery
Improve the quality and use of
data to support resource recovery
Use targets to
drive performance
Strengthen the status of and
processes around the Victorian
Recycling Infrastructure Plan (VRIP)RecommendationSupports
a circular
economySupports
reprocessing
in VictoriaSupports waste-to-
energy within the
waste hierarchySupports
recovery of
organics
12
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria


Recommendations
Infrastructure Victoria makes the following
recommendations to the Victorian Government:05.
13


The amount of waste Victorians generate is forecast to grow.
Victoria needs investment to increase resource recovery and
recycling infrastructure capacity.
This investment also needs to address
the capability to meet market demand,
international import restrictions, and
a range of Victorian and Australian
Government policies, such as the
Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) waste export ban. Bans will
cause significant infrastructure capacity
and capability shortfalls for paper
and cardboard in 2024, followed by
a shortfall for plastics in 2025 unless
further investment is made.
Similarly, Victoria’s capacity and
capability to manage recovered
organics and e-waste will be exceeded
by 2025 and 2030 respectively, as
a result of policies such as the National
Waste Policy and Victoria’s e-waste
landfill ban, introduced in 2019. Appendix A includes a summary
of additional infrastructure capacity
and capability requirements by 2039,
and indicative costs.
While much of the recovery and
reprocessing infrastructure in Victoria
is owned, operated and funded
by the private sector, the Victorian
Government has a role to play in
facilitating investment, leveraging
existing investment and providing
direct funding to the sector where
the market fails to do so.
The data used to inform these
recommendations are based on
modelling that provides projections
to inform Victorian Government
decision making. The projections
should be considered approximations
rather than precise predictions.Improve infrastructure capacity
and capability for recovering and
reprocessing priority materialsRecommendation 01
Context
14Infrastructure Victoria Advice on recycling and resource recovery


Key infrastructure requirements
for each priority material are
outlined below.
Paper and cardboard
\ 600,000 tonnes of additional paper
sorting and pulping infrastructure from
2024.
\ Additional capacity and capability to
manufacture paper and cardboard
packaging products, such as tissue,
paper towels and egg cartons.
\ Improved mechanical sorting of mixed
paper and cardboard at Materials
Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to recover
different paper grades, enhancing
access to paper reprocessing markets.
Plastics
\ 288,600 tonnes of total capacity
and capability to produce plastic
flakes and pellets by polymer in
metropolitan Melbourne and regional
Victoria from 2025.
\ Transition from recovering mixed
plastics bales to recovering plastics
separated by polymer using improved
optical sorting. This will enable MRF
operators to sell to export markets
or domestic reprocessors.
\ Upgrade Victorian resins manufacturing
infrastructure to incorporate recycled
plastics into new plastic products. Glass
\ Additional glass beneficiation (removing
contaminants, sorting by colour and
maintaining a minimum piece size)
capacity and capability in metropolitan
Melbourne to achieve higher value glass
use where possible (e.g. for recycled
glass containers instead of glass sand).
\ Glass sand reprocessing in regional
areas to enable more use of recycled
glass sand in regional road construction.
Organics
\ Additional dedicated organics recovery
transfer stations in the outer northern
and western growth corridors (in line
with the Statewide Waste and Resource
Recovery Infrastructure Plan’s hubs
of state importance) to aggregate
and consolidate increasing amounts
of food and garden organics (FOGO)
from metropolitan Melbourne.
\ Additional capacity of 130,000 tonnes
by 2025 and 555,000 tonnes by 2039,
through a combination of:
– Open windrow composting capacity
in regional Victoria, particularly Barwon
South West and Grampians Central
West by 2025.
– In-vessel composting capacity
in metropolitan Melbourne and
throughout regional Victoria.Recommendation
– Anaerobic digestion capacity in
Metropolitan Melbourne to process
metropolitan food organics, and in
regional Victoria, co-located with
existing wastewater treatment plants
and food production hubs that generate
significant volumes of food waste.
\ Hardstand infrastructure in regional
agricultural areas to encourage
maturation and tailored blending of
compost for specific applications.
E-waste
\ 4,300 tonnes of mechanical
reprocessing infrastructure capability
to enable high-value e-waste materials
to be recovered across metropolitan
Melbourne and regional Victoria by 2030.
\ Support ongoing research into
new technologies to manage hard
to recover and hazardous e-waste.
Emerging techniques to consider
include improved mechanical and
optical, thermal, chemical, nano
and biological processing.
\ Consider improvements to the existing
e-waste disposal network focussed
at resource recovery centres, with
increased drop-off points where
electronic goods are purchased.
This may require appropriate cost-
sharing in line with product stewardship
approaches and compliance with
waste handling requirements.Priority materials are paper
and cardboard, plastics,
glass, organics, e-waste
and tyres.
15
Infrastructure VictoriaRecommendation 01


\ Continue to collaborate with the
Australian Government to develop
a product stewardship approach
for end-of-life solar photovoltaic panels,
vehicle and household batteries.
Tyres
\ Investigate opportunities to use
passenger vehicle tyres in the production
of crumb rubber for road construction.
\ Increase fibre separation infrastructure
in metropolitan Melbourne to assist the
domestic reuse of passenger tyres or as
a contingency for international market
constriction. Separated fibre will need
to go to waste-to-energy solutions, such
as process engineered fuel, or require
additional support to develop a
market for it. Other materials
\ Develop MRF (Materials Recovery
Facility) input and output quality
standards that complement Victorian
and local government efforts to reform
kerbside recycling.
\ Assess the viability of establishing
small to medium-sized MRF infrastructure
in regional Victoria for better recovery
of recyclables starting with Grampians
Central West and Barwon South West
Waste and Resource Recovery Group
(WRRG) regions.
\ Optimise Victoria’s extensive Resource
Recovery Centre and Transfer Station
network to improve regional resource
recovery and, where necessary,
consolidate sites for better resourcing
and more efficient transport.Key findings
\ There is an immediate need to plan
for investment in paper and cardboard
reprocessing infrastructure in Victoria
to comply with the COAG Waste
Export Ban.
\ To make up a large proportion of the
shortfall, and to continue Australian
exports, investment in large-scale
paper sorting and pulping facilities
is required in Victoria. Alternative
processing will also need to increase
or be developed. Alternate processing
can include:
– moulded fibre production
– insulation
– kitty litter
– composting.
\ Victoria does not have the capability
to sort mixed plastics at MRFs. With
no market outlet for mixed plastics,
this material is either being stockpiled
or landfilled. This prevents Victoria
from maximising existing industry
reprocessing capacity.
\ Victoria has an estimated glass
processing capacity of around
494,200 tonnes. This is enough
to meet requirements of the COAG
ban and Victorian policies.
16
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria


\ While we expect there will be enough
capacity to process the amount of
glass generated in future, there may
be opportunities in regional areas
for processing glass into glass sand,
aggregates and other products. There
is also an opportunity to increase the
percentage of recycled glass currently
used in glass packaging production
in Melbourne.
\ Without further investment in organics
processing capacity, increasing
collection of FOGO will lead to a
shortfall in Victorian infrastructure
capacity and capability to reprocess
these materials.
\ Melbourne’s processing capacity
for organics is significantly less than
what is recovered; Melbourne relies
on regional and interstate processing.
Access to suitable sites that can meet
regulatory requirements is likely to
restrict opportunities to add processing
capacity in Melbourne. There is
an immediate need to invest in
Victoria’s organics consolidation
and reprocessing infrastructure to
meet current and future generation
and recovery rates. A more practical
solution is to aggregate and consolidate
organic material, with initial processing that reduces weight and volume
followed by transport to regional areas
for additional processing and use.
\ E-waste generation is increasing
in Victoria due to rapid product
innovation, the falling cost of new
products, and consumer desire
to upgrade. Following the 2019
introduction of a Victorian e-waste
landfill ban, there are now pathways
for collection, with waste facilities in
Victoria providing a separate bin for
e-waste and other disposal points at
various council and private facilities.
Drop-off facilities at retail sites have
proved successful for other e-waste
collections, such as Mobile Muster
for mobile phones.
\ There are some emerging e-waste
products of concern, specifically solar
photovoltaic panels and batteries
for solar systems and electric vehicles.
Growing amounts of these will reach
the end of their useful life in coming
years. There is a lack of proven
technological reprocessing solutions
that can be deployed at scale.
Infrastructure Victoria raised this issue
in its Advice on Automated and Zero
Emissions Vehicles Infrastructure in
2018 (Recommendation 15).\ There is sufficient tyre reprocessing
capacity to meet the requirements
of the COAG export ban and Victorian
policies. There are no immediate
investment opportunities in regional
areas, with the largest output –
shredded tyres – almost entirely
exported overseas. However, there
is an opportunity to increase the use
of recovered passenger vehicle tyres,
along with their commodity value,
by improving Victoria’s infrastructure
capability. This provides important
contingency planning for these
materials if market conditions change.
\ Victoria relies on a relatively small
number of MRFs for Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW) processing, which
makes the sector less resilient and
creates problems if one player exits
the industry. In addition, the location
of resource recovery and reprocessing
infrastructure is determined by
the private sector, so it does not
necessarily minimise transport costs
for local government. Market dynamics
can also affect the way infrastructure
is used – where it may be to one
player’s advantage to slow production
in certain circumstances.
17
Infrastructure VictoriaRecommendation 01


Organic material is one of the largest waste streams in Victoria, estimated
to make up around 35% of household garbage bins. There is also a large
amount of organic waste from the commercial and industrial sector but the
data in this sector is not comprehensive. Given that almost all of this material
can be recycled in some way, this represents a significant opportunity.
Beyond the infrastructure capacity
and capability recommendations already
identified for organics, Infrastructure
Victoria also recommends that the
Victorian Government:
\ Support Victorian councils to increase
FOGO kerbside collection services
for greater recovery of food waste
and reduced contamination in the
organic material stream, as mentioned
in the Recycling Victoria policy.
\ Complement FOGO collection services
with community behaviour change
programs to ensure organics collections
are well-promoted and utilised. These
programs should prioritise food waste
reduction and align with the Love
Food Hate Waste campaign (see
Recommendation 5).
\ Increase Commercial and Industrial
(C&I) food organics recovery rates,
starting with hospitality and food
manufacturing businesses.\ Conduct targeted organics research,
development and demonstration activities
to promote recovered organics as
an alternative to soil conditioners
in agricultural production.
\ Develop product standards and
agricultural industry guidance to
support the use of recycled organics
products in agriculture and provide
information to increase confidence
in their use.
\ Investigate the merits of a Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) regulatory framework for
anerobic digestion.
\ Collaborate with the Australian
Government to clarify the application
of the Australian Carbon Credit Unit
(ACCU) system to waste-to-energy
systems, including anaerobic digestion.
\ Consider landfill bans or other incentives
if landfill diversion rates plateau.
Increase the diversion
of organic waste from landfillsRecommendation 02
Context
Recommendation
18
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria
18


Key findings
\ There is a significant opportunity
for Victoria to divert organic
waste from landfill, recover these
valuable resources and improve the
environment. Victoria’s recovery rate
for organics (42.3%) is significantly
lower than other material streams
(69% on average).
\ Food waste makes up 19% of
landfill, and produces methane as
it breaks down, which has a global
warming potency around 25 times
that of carbon dioxide.1 Emissions
from the waste sector account for
2% of Victoria’s total emissions.
\ Twenty-seven of Victoria’s local
governments offer FOGO collection
and a further 31 only offer a garden
organics collection. This leaves
21 local governments offering
no organics collection of any
kind – two of which are metropolitan
and 19 are regional.
\ The performance of FOGO systems
can differ greatly. The 2018 National
Waste Report says that well-
promoted, carefully designed
systems can capture about 70%
of food waste. In some local
government areas less than 4%
of the population participate.
\ A full rollout of FOGO is estimated
to cost $10-$60 per household
initially, depending on whether  a kitchen caddy and/or a kerbside
bin is provided. This will depend
on the residential setting (house
or apartment and size of garden).
Ongoing collection and processing
costs range from $8 to $50 per
household.
\ Only around one-third of food waste
generated in Victoria is estimated
to come from households, with
the remainder coming from the
C&I sector. There is limited detailed
data around food waste generation
and recovery from the C&I sector in
Victoria, making it difficult to develop
specific responses for this sector.
\ Sustainability Victoria (SV) estimates
that for the 447,000 tonnes of
organics recovered in 2017/18,
around 103,00 tonnes of CO2
equivalent emissions are avoided.
This implies that for a 10% increase
in FOGO recovery rate, the
environmental benefit would be an
additional 10,000 tonnes of CO2
could be avoided.
\ Clean organic material streams can
lead to more recovered organics
used on the land, which has
significant benefits to soil health,
strengthening the market for these
materials. Behaviour change can
support cleaner streams and further
strengthen the market.\ There is a high demand for some
recycled organics, such as timber
and mulch, for use in urban areas.
This includes residential and
commercial landscaping. There
is less demand for recovered
food organics. Providing greater
information about the quality and
potential uses of recycled organics
can increase demand.
\ A combination of transportation
costs and gate fees can limit
recycled organics use in agriculture
due to distance from the supply
(metropolitan Melbourne).
\ C&I food waste is generally
more suitable than household
waste for use as an anaerobic
digestion feedstock.
\ Widespread adoption of anaerobic
digestion in the European Union (EU)
is supported by HACCP regulatory
frameworks, product certification
and guidelines for safe use. These
measures in combination ensure
digestate is safe for agricultural use
and streamline the requirements
that apply to waste suppliers and
digestate users. HACCP is widely
used for food production in Australia.
\ There is uncertainty around
the application of carbon credits
to anaerobic digestion, particularly
for some proponents.
1 Sustainability Victoria (2018) Guide to Biological Recovery of Organics 19
Infrastructure VictoriaRecommendation 02
19


There is a role for waste-to-energy
to deal with residual (non-
recoverable or non-recyclable)
waste in Victoria. In the waste
hierarchy, energy recovery is a
better outcome than disposal to
landfill. Evidence suggests policy
uncertainty is stifling private sector
investment in waste-to-energy
infrastructure. The Government’s
Recycling Victoria policy has
committed to development of
a waste-to-energy framework.
Clear policy is necessary to ensure
desired outcomes and mitigate
against risks, such as demand
for feedstock creating perverse
incentives to generate more waste,
and undermining improvements
to reuse and recycling options.Develop a waste-to-energy policy that reflects the waste hierarchy and
supports, rather than hinders, a transition toward a circular economy.
A Victorian waste-to-energy policy should contain the following:
\ Information on how waste-to-energy’s
role in Victoria supports and facilitates
the waste hierarchy.
\ A government commitment to build
social licence for residual waste-to-energy
and a requirement that projects involve
extensive community consultation, and
provide ongoing and comprehensive
information to the community.
\ Measures that prevent harm to human
health and the environment, in line with
existing Environment Protection Authority
(EPA) requirements and overseas
technical and regulatory experience
from places such as the EU. Existing
EPA standards for emissions, noise,
dust and odour will apply, but EU
standards and best practice methods
should also be considered for product
design, emission control, and ongoing
and continuous monitoring.
\ Requirements that energy recovery meet
minimum energy efficiency thresholds,
consistent with international practice.
\ Ways to avoid overcommitting to waste
tonnages. Long-term secure feedstock
contracts are necessary for waste-to-
energy projects to be financially viable,
which risks creating perverse incentives
to increase waste. \ Encouragement for strategic site
locations, including co-location with
industry that can either provide feedstock
for, or use the residual energy and heat
from, waste-to-energy infrastructure.
Prioritise development either within
strategic hubs identified by the Victorian
Recycling Infrastructure Plan (VRIP)
or co-locate facilities with industry.
\ Standards for residual products
to facilitate market development.
Waste-to-energy processes generate
residual materials which, unless used
elsewhere, will go to landfill. Reusing
these products, where possible, is
preferable. For example, fly and bottom
ash can be used for building and road
construction.
\ Measures to ensure landfill levies do not
make waste-to-energy uncompetitive
with landfill. Provide clarity to the waste-to-energy
sector and establish regulatory settings to
achieve desired waste-to-energy outcomesRecommendation 03
Context Recommendation
20
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria20


Key findings
\ Waste-to-energy is a preferable
alternative to landfill if there are
no other viable recovery options.
Victoria should still prioritise waste
reduction, reuse and recycling.
A future waste-to-energy policy
should not encourage waste that
could have feasibly been recycled,
reused or avoided to become
feedstock. Waste-to-energy solutions
higher on the waste hierarchy (for
example, anaerobic digestion of
organic materials – see
Recommendation 2) are higher
priority.
\ For waste-to-energy facilities to be
competitive, the landfill levy needs
to be set to an appropriate level.2
Government has a role to play in
ensuring that regulations and market
prices support options that are higher
on the waste hierarchy. The private
sector is responsible for making
financially viable business models
for waste-to-energy facilities, but
government can support the pursuit
of waste-to-energy by removing
barriers to entry.\ Facilities should account for the
changing generation and composition
of residual waste.
\ The amount of energy generated
from waste-to-energy should not be
overstated. The Clean Energy Finance
Corporation estimates that energy
from waste could meet up to 2%
of Australia’s electricity needs.3
\ Waste-to-energy by-products may
contain contaminants that make
them unsuitable for recycling in some
cases – particularly if facilities are used
to manage hazardous wastes. Landfill
planning should include the potential
need to manage these materials.
\ The Queensland Government found
that pre-sorting residual waste to
extract recoverable materials prior
to energy recovery imposes additional
costs for energy recovery facilities
and recovers lower quality recyclable
materials.4 \ The amount of residual waste in the
future is uncertain. Our modelling and
analysis suggests that by 2038/39,
Victoria will generate 650,000 tonnes
per year of residual waste from the six
priority materials alone, assuming a
90% recovery rate. The business-as-
usual forecast is for up to 5.7 million
tonnes per year of residual waste.
Not all of this residual waste will
be suitable for waste-to-energy.
\ The need for waste-to-energy
to manage residual waste will be
highly dependent on efforts to reduce
waste and recycle materials, as well
as the planned landfill capacity. The
Recycling Victoria policy’s stated
capacity cap of one million tonnes
per year for waste-to-energy should
be regularly reviewed to manage these
uncertainties. If combined efforts to
reduce waste generation and recycle
material are not highly successful then
there is a risk that significant amounts
of residual waste above the one
million tonne waste-to-energy cap
will be consigned to landfill.
2   Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (2017)
Turning waste into energy, Join the discussion  3   Clean Energy Finance Corporation (2016) Energy from
waste in Australia: a state-by-state update 4   Office of Resource Recovery, Department of Environment and
Science (2019) Energy from Waste Policy – Discussion paper
for consultation 21
Infrastructure Victoria Recommendation 03


Typically, grants of up to
$500,000 have been given by
Sustainability Victoria to increase
the quantity of recycled products
sold, increase resource recovery,
divert waste from landfill, fund
infrastructure projects, develop
new markets, and fund research
and development. Through
the new Recycling Victoria
Infrastructure Fund, grants of
up to $8 million are now available
for some materials. In addition,
other arms of government may
provide grants and other
investment assistance.
Although grants can have some
competitive elements, they are essentially
a negotiation between government and
industry. In negotiations, a well-informed
supplier will often benefit over a less-
informed buyer. Firms and organisations
know their costs of production and
Governments often do not. The Victorian Government and
responsible agencies should review
the effectiveness of existing funding
mechanisms such as grants, tenders and
collaborative procurement and trial the
use of auctions to secure reprocessing
infrastructure capacity, as identified in
Recommendation 1, in the following way:
\ A field pilot to test implementation
and cost-effectiveness of auctions.
\ Separate auctions for each waste
processing class because the cost
of additional waste processing will
vary for different types of waste
(i.e. glass, plastics etc.).
\ An auction in which bidders submit
bids as in a tender. However, rather
than submitting one proposal, each
bidder would be allowed to submit a
bid schedule to indicate the quantity
of additional waste processing effort
they would offer over a range of prices.
\ An assessment of the effectiveness
of the field pilot compared to other
funding approaches.Review funding mechanisms
to increase infrastructure
capacity and capabilityRecommendation 04
Context Recommendation
22
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria22


Key findings
\ Grants may not always lead to the
best outcomes or value for money for
government. In recent years, resource
recovery grants have been capped at
a maximum of $500,000 which may
not be enough to achieve significant
increases in resource recovery and
recycling rates.
\ There is significant potential to increase
the coordination across government of
various investment initiatives to improve
resource recovery.
\ Auctions can reveal information needed
to efficiently allocate resources by
harnessing competition between
competitors as a means of identifying
who wins and at what price. Well-
designed auctions have been shown to
achieve a given outcome at lower price
compared with a grant mechanism.
\ Auctions are an alternative approach
used successfully in Victoria to achieve
government objectives related to
infrastructure and efficiently allocate
resources, including for the allocation
of aquaculture sites in Victoria and
to allocate mobile phone spectrum. \ The Victorian Government (and other
governments throughout Australia and
around the world) already use a range
of other financial support approaches
to deliver policy outcomes, such as
rebates, subsidies and low-interest
loans which could also be applied
to resource recovery.
\ An auction creates a competitive
environment in which the supply
schedule is expanded by asking
bidders to nominate the amount
of additional effort they would be
willing to supply at different prices.
Competition forces bidders to seek
compensation only for the difference
between the cost of supplying
additional effort and returns for selling
the waste material processed.5
5   Centre for Market Design (2019) Opportunities to improve infrastructure
investment in the Victorian waste economy, report for Infrastructure Victoria
23
Infrastructure Victoria Recommendation 04
23


Overall, people are willing
to change the way they sort
their waste. Our community
research shows that nearly 90%
of Victorians are open to it.
The Victorian Government should harness
this willingness and partner with local
government and industry to make it easier
for households to minimise and better
sort their waste. Greater separation of
waste in homes and businesses can
reduce contamination and improve the
quality of recycling. Promoting behaviour
change is critical to achieving this. The Victorian Government should
ensure its investment in household
and business behaviour change
programs is consistent and ongoing.
The key objectives of the Recycling
Victoria policy’s behaviour change
programs should include:
\ waste minimisation
\ contamination reduction
\ buying more recycled, reusable, and
recyclable or compostable products.
At a minimum, a behaviour change
program should be designed using
the following principles:
\ Centrally managed and funded.
\ Consistent messaging across Victoria,
with nuance for local areas as needed.
\ Persistent and ongoing, evolving as
performance improves.
\ Tailored to meet the needs of specific
audiences e.g. culturally and linguistically
distinct or diverse communities, residents
of multi-unit developments, hospitality
businesses etc.\ Considers the role of both positive
and punitive incentives and other
interventions over the medium to
long term.
\ Prioritises specific actions and solutions
for households that build on existing
good intentions and understanding.
\ Monitored and evaluated.
\ Integrated with relevant initiatives
like the APCO targets and Australasian
Recycling Label.
\ Draws from consumer behaviour
research.
\ Supported by easy-to-use source-
separation infrastructure at the point
of disposal (see Recommendation 6). Provide ongoing statewide
and locally tailored behaviour
change programsRecommendation 05
Context Recommendation
24
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria24


Key findings
\ Victorians already understand
the need to recycle, so behaviour
change efforts should harness the
enthusiasm and goodwill of the
community to do even better.
We surveyed 1,000 Victorians
to understand their attitudes and
perceptions about how they sort
their waste at home, and their
willingness to change their behaviour.
We found that most Victorians feel
it is important to reduce landfill
waste (93%), and they consistently
recycle when provided with a
kerbside recycling bin (85%).
\ There is significant room for
improvement in individual recycling
practices. We looked at why this is
and discussed what the community
would like to see and hear to help
them recycle more effectively. Key
points include simplicity (separate
bins for different materials),
consistency and a strong
understanding of the benefits.6   \ There is limited coordination
and sharing of materials between
Sustainability Victoria, the Metropolitan
Waste and Resource Recovery Group
and local governments, which all
provide waste education.7 We have
heard from industry stakeholders
that there is also limited information
sharing between industry and
government.
\ Waste education in Victoria does not
often prioritise waste avoidance but
usually focuses on what to do with
waste after it is generated. Avoidance
education is generally only provided
in short bursts and under-funded
relative to other government
campaigns, limiting its reach, impact
and ability to effectively change
behaviour.8
\ Behaviour change programs will
be most effective in changing
recycling outcomes where correct
recycling is already as simple,  easy and consistent as possible.
Eliminating or reducing barriers to
better recycling behaviour is key
to behaviour change. Programs
need to be supported by a more
consistent approach across Victoria.
\ Examples of successful programs
include the TAC Towards Zero and
the Target 155 campaigns. Both
have a long-term focus, consistent
messaging and ongoing funding.
While it is difficult to determine the
contribution of the Towards Zero
campaign to changes in Victoria’s
road toll as opposed to changes
in technology, the number of lives
lost on Victorian roads has declined
significantly since the campaign
began, even as the number of drivers
on Victorian roads has increased.
6   Quantum Market Research (2019) Kerbside Collection Deep
Dive, report for Infrastructure Victoria7   Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (2019) Recovering and
Reprocessing Resources from Waste8  ibid.
25
Infrastructure Victoria Recommendation 05
25


Contamination occurs when an
item is disposed of in the wrong
bin. Contamination reduces the
value of recyclable materials
because either additional sorting
is needed to remove unwanted
materials, which can be costly,
or the processor needs to dispose
of these materials to landfill,
which is also costly.
This lowers the market value of materials
which lowers the incentive to invest in
reprocessing and recycling infrastructure.
In some cases, these costs make recycling
more expensive than using virgin materials.
An important element in reducing
contamination is improving source
separation and consistency in the way
waste is collected – particularly for
household waste. Not all councils accept
the same materials in recycling collections,
due to differences in what processors
will accept. At the same time, bin lids
differ in colour and meaning across
local government areas.
These differences can lead to confusion
for households and contamination of
material streams, and create a barrier
to efficiently and effectively educating
the community on what they can recycle. To reduce contamination of
materials streams, Infrastructure
Victoria recommends that the
Victorian Government:
\ Require and support all local
governments to standardise bins
for household collections, consistent
with the Government’s commitment
in the Recycling Victoria policy to
standardise bins and kerbside services.
\ Advocate for and support the review
of the Australian Standard for mobile
waste containers AS4123.7.
\ Establish a minimum service standard
for local government waste services
to promote greater consistency
in collections across Victoria.
\ Promote greater source separation
of MSW by encouraging and supporting
the rollout of separate kerbside bins
for glass, or paper and cardboard.
\ Drive greater consistency in the materials
collected within each service (e.g. FOGO
and commingled) across Victoria.
\ Evaluate existing models to design
the best Container Deposit Scheme
for Victoria. Reduce contamination
in material streamsRecommendation 06
Context Recommendation
26
Infrastructure Victoria Advice on recycling and resource recovery
26


Key findings
\ Infrastructure Victoria’s community
polling suggests that 25% of all
respondents who have commingled
kerbside collection are unsure of
which bin things should go in.9
\ Countries that have high rates of
resource recovery from MSW tend
to have a more consistent approach
to sorting and collection. Currently,
approaches differ across Victoria’s
79 local councils.
\ Standardising bins is estimated to
cost between $22-$60 per household
depending on whether the entire bin
is replaced, or just the lid.
\ A consistent approach to collections
is estimated to cost between
$35-$60 per household for an
additional bin and $3 per collection.
\ In 2017/18, contamination rates in
Victorian MSW ranged from 3%
to 27%, with an average of 10.4%
across all local government areas10
depending on the effort put into
education and enforcement
along with the socio-economic
characteristics of the area. \ There is limited detailed data on
contamination rates in the C&I
sector in Victoria making it difficult
to develop specific responses for
this sector.
\ Container Deposit Schemes are
in place across Australia. Results
in each state or country vary
depending on the exact model
used. Our consultation indicates
that Queensland (active scheme)
and Western Australia (scheme
in design phase) are leading
examples to investigate further.
\ One of the key benefits of CDS is
that they can reduce contamination.
Cleaner materials streams can
increase the potential for their re-use.
\ The introduction of a CDS was
commonly identified by stakeholders
who provided feedback on our
Evidence Base Report as an initiative
that could improve Victoria’s waste
and resource recovery system.
\ 92% of people we polled favoured
the introduction of a CDS.  \ The Victorian Parliamentary Budget
Office (PBO) costed a CDS for the
Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into
recycling and waste management
and found that a CDS would deliver
a financial benefit to Victoria of
$244.5 million from 2019-20 to
2022-23. This reflects an increase
in government revenue of $253.5
million due to uncollected deposits
from containers not being returned,
partially offset by an increase in
operating expenses of $9.0 million
to manage the scheme.
\ Commingling of glass with paper
 and cardboard leads to lower
recyclability of these materials
from household collections. This
is because the glass gets broken
and becomes embedded in the
paper and cardboard. Separating
these materials is therefore key to
improved recycling. Depending on
the proximity of paper or glass
reprocessing, it may be more
appropriate to prioritise one or
the other in some regional areas.
9   Quantum Market Research (2019) Waste Advice Research,
report for Infrastructure Victoria10   Sustainability Victoria (2019) Victorian Local Government
Annual Waste Services Report 2017-18An important element in reducing contamination is
improving source separation and consistency in the
way waste is collected.
27
Infrastructure Victoria Recommendation 06
27


In line with the waste hierarchy,
waste minimisation or avoidance
is the best way to manage waste.
Minimising waste will not only ease
pressure on Victoria’s recycling and
resource recovery infrastructure, it
will also reduce pressure on Victoria’s
finite natural resources and reduce the
environmental and human health impacts
of waste, such as polluted waterways.
Waste minimisation is also one of the key
objectives of the Recycling Victoria policy.The Victorian Government should:
\ Provide support and funding to household
food waste minimisation initiatives (such
as Sustainability Victoria’s Love Food, Hate
Waste), to target avoidable MSW food
waste which currently accounts for
a third of Victoria’s household garbage
stream by weight. Ensure that the
statewide municipal recycling behaviour
change campaign emphasises the
importance of waste avoidance
(see Recommendation 5).
\ Consider levies or bans on specific
materials that are difficult to recycle
or contribute to environmental problems,
if viable alternatives exist.
\ Work with the Australian Government
and industry to evaluate EU regulations
underlying the Waste, Electrical and
Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE)
for potential adoption. These regulations
include longer warranties for the products,
requiring spare parts to be guaranteed,
and mandating manufacturer repair to
support the development of repair culture.Introduce waste
minimisation initiativesRecommendation 07
Context Recommendation
Minimising waste will not only
ease pressure on Victoria’s
recycling and resource
recovery infrastructure, it
will also reduce pressure
on Victoria’s finite natural
resources and reduce the
environmental and human
health impacts of waste.
28
Infrastructure Victoria Advice on recycling and resource recovery
28


Key findings
\ The amount of waste we generate
has been growing. This is due partly
to population growth and partly to
changes in our economy and society,
such as increased consumption
and packaging.
\ The most cost-effective way to manage
waste is to create less in the first place.
The waste hierarchy calls for waste
avoidance and minimisation, including
better product and packaging design,
and reusing or repairing products and
items. Avoiding and reducing waste
will reduce pollution, greenhouse gas
emissions, and the pressure on our
waste management infrastructure.
\ Reducing waste reduces sorting
costs and contamination.
\ Levies or bans on single-use plastic
straws and cutlery, along with non-
recyclable coffee cups may help
combat Victoria’s litter problem and
promote behavioural change. That
said, poorly designed levies or bans
on some materials, such as single-
use plastics can lead to unintended
consequences. Some industries rely
on single-use plastics for medical
or research purposes. \ Food waste accounts for a third
of Victoria’s MSW garbage stream
by weight. Nearly two-thirds of this
is avoidable food waste (such as
bakery items, meals, dairy, eggs,
fresh vegetables and fresh fruit).
Victorians estimate that they waste
around $39 worth of food and drink
a week – $2000 a year. Across
Victoria, this adds up to about $4
billion a year.
\ E-waste – end-of-life electronic
products with a plug or battery –
is a fast-growing waste stream. E-waste
is a complex mixture of materials and
components that, because of their
hazardous content, can cause major
environmental and health problems if
not properly managed. While there are
already Australian product stewardship
schemes for televisions, computers
and mobile phones, many electronic
products do not have such
arrangements. An EU directive created
collection schemes where consumers
return their e-waste free of charge.
These schemes aim to increase
e-waste recycling and/or re-use. Most
electronics brands with an Australian
presence are also operating in the EU
and therefore are required to comply
with these requirements in Europe.
29
Infrastructure Victoria Recommendation 07
29


Over the last decade, there has
been a significant focus in Victoria
on establishing infrastructure
to collect, sort and, to an extent,
reprocess recovered resources.
However, this supply of recyclable
materials has not always been
matched by significant, ongoing
demand for recycled products.
With the lack of demand, stockpiling
has occurred, the commercial viability
of some operators has been challenged,
waste sector operators have at times failed
to comply with regulatory requirements,
and there have been multiple waste material
fires throughout Victoria.
To address this supply and demand
imbalance, further market development
is required to identify opportunities that
can use significant and reliable volumes
of recycled materials. The Victorian
Government has indicated in Recycling
Victoria – a new economy that it will play
a significant role here. Infrastructure Victoria recommends the Victorian Government use multiple
approaches to develop end markets for recycled materials. The actions identified
here should be applied first to priority materials: glass, organics, plastics, paper
and card, e-waste and tyres.
\ Support research and development
in the use of recycled materials and
products and conduct targeted research
and demonstration activities for each
priority material. This will overcome
product-specific market challenges,
such as the application of organic
materials to land and the use of
recycled plastic in packaging.
\ Build on research, development
and demonstration working groups
with representatives from government,
the recycling industry, end market
industries and researchers to accelerate
the use of recycled materials.
\ Build on recent efforts to update
standards and specifications more
quickly to enable greater use of recycled
materials and products in Victoria.
\ Transition to performance-based
specifications in Victoria to ensure
recycled materials are fit-for-purpose,
particularly for use in construction and
agriculture. This would prescribe the
desired outcomes, allowing industry
to decide which materials (including
recycled products) it will use to comply. \ Develop and provide recycled product
information and guidance to increase
confidence in the use of recycled
products, such as the use of recovered
organics in agriculture or plastics in
packaging manufacturing. This may
include approaches such as eco-labelling,
environmental product declarations,
standards, product specifications and
safety data sheets.
\ Update the Sustainable Procurement
Objectives in the Victorian Government’s
Social Procurement Framework to include
more explicit requirements about the use
of recycled content. Prioritise sustainable
outcomes in evaluating procurement
proposals. The Victorian Government’s
recently announced ‘Recycled First’
program for major construction projects
is an example.
\ Collaborate with the Australian
Government to investigate the
costs and benefits of taxes, levies
and other incentives to increase
the competitiveness of recycled
materials relative to virgin materials.Remove barriers and strengthen
markets for priority materialsRecommendation 08
Context Recommendation
30
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria
30


Key findings
\ Research and development with
industry has been effective in the roads
and rail sectors, with the approval
of several Victorian specifications
permitting the use of recycled
materials. This approach could be
applied to plastics manufacturing,
packaging, agriculture, and paper and
cardboard manufacturing.
\ Performance-based specifications
are less prescriptive when it comes
to how materials are made, and
the processing required to meet
infrastructure performance criteria
and encourage innovation.
\ Where the Victorian Government
is not responsible for authorising
standards and specifications, it can
play a key role by resourcing and
facilitating working groups to increase
the use of recycled materials across
a range of industry sectors.
\ Recycled materials have sometimes
been seen as lower quality than virgin
materials. Research and development
activities are crucial to identifying  the potential of recycled materials
as either direct substitutes for virgin
materials or where there are new
uses and benefits associated with
using them.
\ The Government supports research
and development through funding
facilitated by Sustainability Victoria.
This can be scaled up and down,
but an increase will be required to
move forward on all priority materials.
\ The UK Government recently
implemented a tax on the production
and import of non-recyclable plastic
packaging from 2022. The tax was
a response to high levels of plastic
packaging waste, which predominantly
came from new plastics.11 It is difficult
for the Victorian Government to
impose a similar tax as Victoria is
just one part of a larger market and
products can flow across state
borders relatively easily.
11   AlphaBeta (2019) Recycling and resource recovery infrastructure in Victoria: International and Australian comparisons,
report for Infrastructure Victoria31
Infrastructure VictoriaRecommendation 08
31


In many instances, producers of
goods and services do not face the
cost of waste created by packaging
or the end-of-life fates of products.
By not considering these costs, producers
may over-invest in packaging to attract
buyers’ attention or manufacture goods
that cannot be easily repaired. Further,
consumers do not face all the costs of
their consumption, or their sorting and
disposal choices. To provide an incentive for consumers and producers to consider the cost
of disposing of or recycling materials, the Victorian Government should:
\ Work with the Australian Government
to update the Product Stewardship
Act 2011 Product List, which has not
been updated since 2017-18.
\ Collaborate with the Australian
Government and the electronics
industry to increase the scope of
e-waste product stewardship covering
a wider range of e-waste types, where
justified based on the material value
and environmental risks they present.\ Work with the Australian Government
and industry groups to further develop
product stewardship schemes under
the Product Stewardship Act 2011,
assessing the merits of voluntary,
co-regulatory or mandatory schemes.
\ Work with the Australian Government
and industry groups to consider the
key elements of successful international
product stewardship schemes and
their suitability in Australia. Key
elements include:
– levies and deposit refunds
– take-back requirements
– advance disposal or recycling fees
– product labelling requirements
– product design and repair requirements
– recycled content targets
– resource recovery rate targets.
\ Work with the Australian Government
to fast-track and prioritise the
development of a national product
stewardship approach for photovoltaic
systems in the short-term.
\ Work with the Battery Stewardship
Council to include electric vehicle
batteries, addressing the risks set out
win Infrastructure Victoria’s Advice on
Automated and Zero Emissions Vehicles
Infrastructure (Recommendation 15).Ensure that producers and consumers
involved in making and using products
share the responsibility for their fate Recommendation 09
Context Recommendation
32
Advice on recycling and resource recovery Infrastructure Victoria
32