Alpine Shire Council is encouraging residents and businesses to have their say on how glass recycling should be managed across the shire.

The Victorian government has mandated from 1 July 2027, glass must be collected separately from other household recycling, with councils expected to introduce a kerb-side glass bin service, unless an alternative approach can be justified.

Councils which are not prepared to implement a compliant service, risk facing enforcement action and fines.

Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, said while council has actively advocated to the government to delay the introduction of a mandatory glass‑only service until the benefits clearly outweigh the costs for the community, no formal response has been received.

As a result, council must now ensure it is prepared to introduce a compliant glass collection service, if required.

"The Victorian government’s clear preference is for councils to provide a kerb-side glass bin service, however we believe it is essential to understand whether this is the most practical and cost‑effective solution for Alpine Shire’s community, given the shire’s size, geography and dispersed population," Cr Nicholas said.

“These changes are being driven by the Victorian government, but how they are implemented locally is something we want strong community input on.

"If the community believes glass drop‑off points are a more suitable option, we will need robust local evidence to build a case to the government in support of that approach.

"This community survey is a critical step in gathering that evidence."

If a kerb-side glass bin service is introduced, the implementation cost would be $346,838, with the first year of service costing $357,471.

Together, this would equate to a cost of just over $100 per property for ratepayers in the first year of a kerb-side service.

By comparison, implementing and servicing an estimated 10 glass drop‑off points across the shire would cost approximately $175,672 per year.

Cr Nicholas said council needs clear evidence to support its approach should the 1 July 2027 deadline remain in place.

Council's survey asks questions about: how households and businesses currently dispose of glass; how much glass needs to be collected to prevent it going in the recycling (yellow‑lid) bin; whether Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) and glass drop‑off locations are being used; whether a separate kerb-side glass bin would be required; and, if a separate kerb-side glass bin is not required, where future drop‑off points would need to be located.

The survey is now open and available online at: https://engage.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/glass-recycling

Printed copies of the survey can be collected from council’s customer service centre in Bright, or at libraries in Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford.

The survey will close on Sunday, 28 June.