Glass recycling in Merri-bek City Council

Circular Economy Household Education Fund

Sustainability Victoria is delivering the $26.6 million Household Education and Behaviour Change Program to support Victorians to adopt circular economy behaviours by reducing the amount of waste we generate and to recycle more as part of the 4-stream household recycling system.

Alongside the statewide Small Acts, Big Impact campaign, the program provides funding for councils to deliver local campaigns through the Circular Economy Household Education Fund. All Victorian councils and alpine resorts were eligible to apply for funding and most (81%) have been awarded funding, with local campaigns now underway across the state. 

Under the Fund, Sustainability Victoria supported Merri-bek City Council with a $102,000 grant to introduce a kerbside glass recycling service from July 2023 as part of their kerbside waste reform program, which also included adding a universal food and garden organics service at the same time.

As part of the program, Victorian councils can access an extensive library of Small Acts, Big Impact campaign materials developed by Sustainability Victoria. The library includes illustrations, written copy, posters, print and out-of-home advertising, flyers, bin tags, videos and many more materials. The materials are modular and can be adapted to suit council recycling and waste contracts.

The campaign

One of Merri-bek’s campaign objectives was to build community awareness and acceptance of the 4-bin service, including the benefits and the need for change.

As part of the development of campaign collateral, the council used Sustainability Victoria’s templates to develop user guides for residents, fridge magnets, flyers, and advertising for the community. Select materials were also translated into the top seven languages spoken, where there is a barrier to English, in the municipality. The campaign materials were then delivered directly to householders and rolled out across a variety of local channels including web, radio, out-of-home, social media and print publications.

Outcomes

In follow up research in September 2023, it was found Merri-bek’s communications were effective in raising awareness of changes to the recycling system, with three-quarters of residents surveyed (75%) reporting hearing or seeing communications about the new glass service.

More than three-quarters of those surveyed (76%) recalled seeing Small Acts, Big Impact branded communications. Most rated the campaign materials as “Easy to understand” (82%), “Providing all the information required” (80%) and “Relevant to people like me” (77%). More than three-quarters of those surveyed (76%) rated the communication of the glass rollout as effective.

Most survey respondents (92%) with a glass recycling service are sorting their glass into their new bin, and six in ten said they (61%) have put their new bin out for collection within three months of receiving the service.

Merri-bek reported that the benefits of using the Small Acts, Big Impact materials included significant savings in costs and time. Because the materials were designed by a trusted Victorian Government agency and backed by research, the production and approvals processes were streamlined in the lead-up to the campaign.

The extensive range of materials available with a consistent look and feel made it easy for the council to choose relevant assets and adapt them for their campaign.