Victoria is introducing new glass-only recycling services across the state so that more can be recycled than ever before.
Why we need glass-only recycling
Separating glass before recycling is collected helps recycle more overall.
Glass bottles and jars break easily. In a mixed recycling bin or truck, the small pieces of glass can get stuck in paper, cardboard and plastic, making those materials harder to sort and recycle.
Keeping glass separate means more paper, cardboard and plastic can be recycled because they are not damaged by broken glass. It also creates a cleaner stream of glass that is easier to recycle into new products.
That’s why many countries – including the world’s top recyclers – collect glass separately for recycling.
Certain glass beverage bottles can (optionally) be recycled through the container deposit scheme, CDS Vic. For other types of glass containers, like jam jars and sauce bottles, kerbside glass recycling services provide a convenient way to recycle at home without contaminating other recyclables.
What happens to recycled glass
Your recycled glass is being turned into new everyday products right here in Victoria - such as jars for pasta sauce, pickles and peanut butter on supermarket shelves and bottles for beer at your local brewery.
Glass is a valuable resource that does not degrade through the recycling process, so it can be recycled over and over. Producing recycled glass uses around 20-30% less energy than making glass from virgin silica sand.
- Purchase: You buy products in glass bottles and jars.
- Recycle: You put glass bottles and jars in your purple bin.
- Collect: Trucks take your glass into a recycling facility.
- Sort: Your glass is sorted and separated.
- Manufacture: Glass is melted down and shaped into new bottles and jars.
- Distribute: New bottes and jars are filled with products and sent out to stores.
Arrows on the image indicate the cycle then returns to the beginning.
The Victorian government has invested in facilities to help recycle all our glass locally: glass is not exported for recycling.
In 2023-24, 75% of Victoria's container glass (bottles and jars), or 211,800 tonnes, was recovered and processed locally (source: Circular Economy Market Report 2026).
By separating glass so pieces don’t get lost among other recyclables, we can get closer to recycling 100% of this valuable material.
New glass recycling services
Each council is responsible for introducing a separate glass recycling service as part of changes to Victoria's household recycling system.
43 of the 79 Victorian councils have already rolled out separate glass collections, including 27 with purple-lidded kerbside glass bins.
Using your recycling bin for glass
Your small acts make a big impact. Here are some tips to get your glass recycling right (whether you have a separate glass recycling service or only a mixed recycling bin):
- Check your local council website to find out if lids should stay on or off when recycling glass bottles and jars.
- Scrape any food out and give items a quick rinse. They don’t need to be spotless.
- Broken household items like drinking glasses, mirrors, windows or baking dishes melt at different temperatures to container glass, so they can’t be recycled together. Put these items in your general rubbish bin.
Page last updated: 24/09/26