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                    Central city waste laws

                    Blue cardboard bins
                    Melbourne's central city waste laws help keep our laneways and streets clean and help minimise disturbance from late-night bin collection.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​A clean and accessible municipality is good for businesses, residents and visitors. We all have a part to play in keep​ing the city clean. 

                    Our Activities Local Law contains waste laws that apply to the central city, the area bounded by Spring Street to the east, Flinders Street to the south, Spencer Street to the west and along La Trobe, William and Peel streets to Victoria Street in the north.

                    Restricted-access areas or 'hot spots' are areas within the central city where waste collection is not allowed between the hours of 11pm and 6am. View a map showing the central city area and ‘hot spots’.

                    All businesses (including residential building managers) within Melbourne’s central city must:

                    Store bins inside

                    Bins must be stored within your property or premises.  

                    You must not permanently store your bins in a street, in a laneway, on a footpath or at an approved collection site outside of collection hours. You must have a permit to store your bins in a waste bin prescribed area within one of our allocated laneways. 

                    Find out more about arranging a waste collection service for your business.

                    Return bins inside after collection

                    Bins must only be placed out on the street for collection. Please review the regulations below for when you can place your bins out and when they must be taken back inside your property. 

                    Overnight collections:

                    • Bins can be placed out for collection from 6pm.
                    • Bins must be collected and returned inside your property before 10am the following day.

                    Daytime collections:

                    • Bins can be brought out for collection during business hours (7am to 7pm) but must be returned inside your property within 3 hours of collection.

                    If your collection has been missed:

                    • You must return your full bin inside your property and contact your waste provider to arrange another collection. 
                    • Penalties apply for leaving your bins out on the street during the day.

                    Apply for a waste bin permit

                    Most businesses will find space to store their bins within their property. For example, you may be able to use an existing cupboard or storage area. If you have no space, you may be able to negotiate with a neighbouring business and make arrangements to store your bins on their property. If you require your bin to be stored in public space, you will need to apply for a waste bin permit.

                    If you have no ability to store your bin on private property, you can apply for our consideration to store it on public land. If we permit you to store a bin on public land, you must meet a number of additional requirements including:

                    • storing your bin in one of our waste bin prescribed areas
                    • keeping your bin locked, sealed, cleaned and regularly emptied (which may increase the cost of your waste service)
                    • ensuring any bins containing food waste are emptied daily.

                    Apply permit labels to each bin

                    Each bin in the central city must be labelled with your business name and address.

                    We provide an adhesive City of Melbourne bin label for all your permitted bins when we issue you with waste bin permits.

                    If you have a bin permit and need a replacement label, go to City of Melbourne services online and amend your permit to notify us of a change to the bin.

                    Keep bins clean

                    All external surfaces of your bins need to be clean and free of visible food matter and other debris. 

                    We recommend you engage a bin cleaning company that operates in the city. 

                    If you choose to wash your own bins, we encourage you to reuse old washing-up or mop water. All wash water must then be poured down a sink or a toilet on your property.

                    It is an offence to pour soapy or contaminated water onto a street, a lane or down a drain.

                    ​Central city area

                    A map showing the central city, restricted access area hot spots and waste bin prescribed areas can be viewed below.

                    Central city waste laws – FAQs

                    What businesses are affected by these laws?

                    ​Any businesses operating within the central city that use one or more bins located within a public space at any time are covered by the laws.

                    Examples include, but are not limited to:

                    • cafes
                    • restaurants
                    • offices
                    • retail stores
                    • convenience stores
                    • take away food outlets
                    • educational institutions
                    • charities
                    • churches
                    • social clubs.

                    Please note: Residential building management companies are considered to be businesses, and the buildings they manage are also covered by the central city waste laws.

                    What type of waste is covered by these laws?

                    ​The laws apply to any bins, carts, skips, dumpsters or other containers used for waste such as:

                    • general rubbish
                    • food scraps for disposal or recycling
                    • recyclable items such as plastic containers, glass bottles, paper and cardboard.

                    Types of waste collection not covered by the laws include:

                    • medical waste or waste from beauty therapy and hairdressing establishments, tattooists, public pools and spas
                    • building and construction waste.

                    How should I label my bins?

                    Bins must be marked with the address of the premises issued with the permit and a telephone contact number.

                    ​The most effective way to label your bins to meet the requirements of the waste laws is to apply to the City of Melbourne for a free bin label for each bin.

                    Apply for a bin label by emailing engineering@melbourne.vic.gov.au.

                    Each of your bins must have its own label. You must provide us with separate information about each bin so we can issue a label for each.

                    Once you have lodged an application for a bin label we will not fine your business for not having a label on a bin.

                    What do I need to do to keep my bins clean?

                    ​From time to time your bins will get dirty and smelly.

                    If you choose to wash your own bins, we encourage you to reuse old washing up or mop water, and to pour it down your internal sink. Please note: It is an offence to pour soapy or otherwise contaminated water into a street, a lane or down a drain.

                    Otherwise you may choose to engage one of the many bin cleaning companies operating in the city.​

                    Where can I store my bins?

                    ​Bins must be stored within your premises. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, you must not permanently store your bins in a street, in a laneway, on a footpath or at an approved collection site outside of collection hours.

                    What if I have no room to store my bins inside my property?

                    ​Most businesses will find room to store their bins off the street. For example, you may be able to use an existing cupboard or storage area.

                    If you really have no room, you may be able to negotiate an arrangement with a neighbouring business to store your bins on their property. If you cannot store your bins off the street, please contact us on 9658 9658 to discuss your situation.

                    Can I get permission to permanently store my bins in the street?

                    ​A permit may be granted to store bins permanently in a certain street or laneway. This is known as a prescribed area. We will only grant a permit as a last resort, and subject to strict criteria. You must show to our satisfaction that:

                    • you have no inside storage options; that is, the only option would contravene legislative requirements or occupational health and safety standards
                    • there are no opportunities to share a bin or bin space with a neighbour.

                    If granted:

                    • all bins must be labelled
                    • all bins must be locked
                    • all food waste bins must be emptied every day.

                    What is a designated area?

                    ​A designated area is a ‘hotspot’ where there is a high concentration of businesses, bin collections and residents living nearby.

                    Waste collection companies cannot pick up rubbish between 11pm and 6am.

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                    03 9658 965803 9658 9658
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