Information for city residents, workers and visitors
To help clean up our city streets and laneways, the City of Melbourne introduced waste laws for the central city on 1 July 2010. This fact sheet explains the laws and the changes you might be noticing around the city.
Why does the central city need waste laws?
Our laneways were once ‘back of house’ areas for restaurants and retailers. Now our laneways are home to residents, secret bars, innovative retailers, restaurants and cafes.
Currently 18,000 residents live in the central city and the population is predicted to grow to 24,000 by 2015. The waste laws help to balance the needs of increasing numbers of residents, businesses and visitors.
What do central city businesses* need to do differently?
To comply with the central city waste laws, businesses and building managers must:
- apply for a bin label via the City of Melbourne’s website
- not store waste and recycling bins permanently in the public space without a City of Melbourne permit.
- ensure their bin lids are closed and the bins are sealed to prevent leaks
- keep all external surfaces of waste bins clean and free of visible food leftovers
- ensure the bin is placed outside no earlier than 6pm the evening before collection. The bins must be brought back inside within three hours after collection (between 7am and 7pm).
For more information, businesses should visit Enterprise Melbourne.
What do waste collection companies need to do differently?
Under the laws, all waste companies collecting rubbish and recycling in the central city must apply to the City of Melbourne for a permit. A waste collection company must obey all the permit conditions:
- only use equipment and trucks that are branded and comply with the requirements of VicRoads and the Australian Design Rules
- keep an up to date database to allow bin ownership to be tracked
- label all bins with the company’s name and contact details
- label all trucks with the waste company name and contact details
- within designated areas, only collect waste between 6am and 11pm.
See map
What happens if businesses and waste collection companies don’t comply with the laws?
Any business* which does not comply with the laws risk being fined $1000 for each offence. City of Melbourne education officers are visiting all businesses that have a bin stored permanently on the street or a laneway in the central city.
Together we are determining strategies for removing bins from the public space. Any waste collection company which does not comply with the laws risk being fined up to $2000 for each offence.
What should I do if I notice that the laws are not being obeyed?
You may report illegal rubbish dumping or breaches of the central city waste laws by calling (03) 9658 9658.
Within what area do the laws apply?
The waste laws apply to Melbourne’s central city and cover the area bounded by Spring Street to the east, Flinders Street to the south, Spencer Street to the west and then along La Trobe, William and Peel streets to Victoria Street in the north.See map below.
Do the central city waste laws reduce noise for residents in the city?
The City of Melbourne has designated areas where it is illegal to collect waste between 11pm and 6am. This reduces night time noise from waste collection vehicles. Other noises – such as live music and emptying bottles into bins late at night – are not reduced by these laws.
The locations of these designated areas are shown on the map.
Why do the laws only apply to the central city?
There is a high concentration of residents, businesses and visitors within this area. Many bins have been stored permanently in streets and laneways making the city look untidy and attracting vermin. The City of Melbourne may consider extending the boundary in the future.
Do the laws remove all bins from city streets and laneways?
Most businesses aren't permitted to store their bins permanently on the street or laneway. Some businesses may receive a permit to store their bins permanently on the street or laneway if they can demonstrate there are no other reasonable storage options.
In these rare cases, the businesses are subject to special standards to make sure their bins are kept neat and clean. Businesses still need to put their bins out for collection, but the laws ensure that during daytime hours (7am to 7pm) the bins are only on the street for a minimum amount of time.
More information
For more information about the waste laws, contact the City of Melbourne on 03 9658 9658 or visit Enterprise Melbourne.
*Examples of businesses covered by the waste laws include, but are not limited to cafes, restaurants, offices, retail stores, convenience stores, take away food outlets, educational institutions, charities, churches and social clubs.
Residential building management companies are considered to be businesses and the building they manage are also covered by the central city waste laws.