Waste charges

The Resource Recovery and Waste Service charge covers the cost of waste services across the whole Yarra Ranges community.

Your waste charge also includes the State Government EPA Waste Levy, which council Council must pay when waste is disposed in landfill. Waste charges are not subject to rate capping and are based on full cost recovery.

How we calculate your waste charge

From 1 July 2025, the waste charge is split into two components.

Minimum base charge

The minimum base charge includes collection, disposal and maintenance of street and park litter bins, illegally dumped rubbish, minor landfill management, hard waste and bundled branches collections*, waste education and administration. It does not include kerbside bin collections. 

*Non-residential properties such as businesses, schools and churches are not eligible for hard waste and bundled branches collections. 

Kerbside bin collection services

These are individual charges for each kerbside bin service based on your chosen bin sizes for FOGO (food and garden organics), recycling and rubbish.

Council will charge all eligible properties a minimum base charge and a charge for each one of the 3 kerbside bin collection services: FOGO, recycling and rubbish.

Standard residential & non-residential waste charges 2025–2026

Minimum base charges 

Minimum base charges apply to residential and non-residential properties.

Kerbside bin collection charges

You must select 1 bin size for each of the 3 bin collection services.

Example waste charges

A residential property will have 4 lines on their annual rates notice for waste charges. 

Additional Bins

Additional bins are available if required. Charges for individual additional bins reflect the cost of the provision of the bin and the full year collection service of that bin. All customers may have 1 or more of these bins in addition to the base set of 3 bins (each consisting of a FOGO bin, recycling bin and a rubbish bin).

EPA Waste Levy

There has been an increase in the Waste Levy (formerly called the landfill levy) charged by the State Government’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for each tonne of rubbish disposed at licensed landfills. This levy has increased by $66.16 since 2020 and is $167.90 per tonne for the 2025–26 financial year. This increase is not within Council’s control and is separate to the general rates cap. It has resulted in an increase to Council's waste management charges.

Non-residential waste services

Yarra Ranges Council offers an optional waste collection service to non-residential customers. Non-residential customers include businesses, schools, religious organisations and other non-residential organisations. Non-residential waste service customers are not eligible for hard waste and bundled branches collections.