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Council services data

Waste services data

This data provides insight into the amount of waste we are collecting in a year. This includes the collection of kerbside garbage, recycling, and food and garden organics bins.

The annual Towards Zero Waste data report 2022 - 2023 provides an overview of waste data for the past financial year and shows how we are performing against local and state waste reduction targets.

  • Please note: 1 tonne is equal to 1,000kg.

    The annual tonnage of waste for 2022 to 2023 was:

    • Garbage: 28,582 tonnes
    • Recycling: 13,661 tonnes
    • Food and Garden Organics: 13,173 tonnes

  • In the year July 2022 to June 2023 the average waste generation (in kilograms) per person and per household was as follows.

    Garbage generation

    The average garbage generation (in kilograms) was:

    • Per person per week: 3 kgs
    • Per person per year: 164 kgs 
    • Per household per week: 7kgs
    • Per household per year: 365 kgs

    Recycling generation

    The average recycling generation (in kilograms) was:

    • Per person per week: 1.5 kgs
    • Per person per year: 78 kgs 
    • Per household per week: 3 kgs
    • Per household per year: 174 kgs

    Food and garden organics generation

    The average food and garden organics generation (in kilograms) was:

    • Per person per week: 1.4 kgs
    • Per person per year: 75 kgs 
    • Per household per week: 3 kgs
    • Per household per year: 168 kgs

    Total waste generation (all streams)

    The total waste generation (in kilograms) was:

    • Per person per week: 6 kgs
    • Per person per year: 318 kgs 
    • Per household per week: 14kgs
    • Per household per year: 708 kgs

  • Our collection of recycling and organics has diverted 48% of all kerbside waste away from landfill. This statistic is from the 2022 to 2023 period.

  • These facilities do not stock pile any of the materials received from Council.

    Garbage, recycling and organics collection service (South of Bell Street)

    The contract for the Garbage, recycling and organics collection service (South of Bell Street) is held by Citywide. You can find out about this organisation on the Citywide website.

    Garbage, recycling and organics collection service (North of Bell Street)

    The contract for the Garbage, recycling and organics collection service (North of Bell Street) is held by our in-house waste collection team.

    Garbage disposal

    The contract for garbage disposal is held by Melbourne Regional Landfill at Ravenhall. You can find out more about this organisation  on the Melbourne Regional Lanfill at Ravenhall website.

    Garbage disposal is managed by Cleanaway. You can find out more about this organisation on the Cleanaway website.

    Mixed recycling receival

    The contract for mixed recycling receival is held by Visy Recycling. Mixed recycling is processed at the Visy Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Heidelberg. You can find out more about this organisation on the Visy Recyling website.

    Food and Garden Organics processing

    The contract for food and garden organics processing is held by Bulla Organics Facility at Bulla. You can find out more about this organisation on the Bull Organics Facility at Bulla website.

    The Food and Garden Organics processing is managed by Veolia. You can find out more about this organisation on the Veolia website.

    Glass recycling receival

    The contract for glass recycling receival is held by Visy Recycling. Glass is recycled at the Visy glass beneficiation plant in Laverton. You can find out more about this organisation on the Visy Recyling website.

  • Council audited a sample of kerbside garbage, recycling and food and garden organics bins in 2021 to better understand what people are putting in which bins. 

    Garbage bin

    41% of the contents of the average garbage bin is food waste. A further 3% is garden organics, both these items could be placed in the food and garden organics bin. An additonal 11% of the bin are items which could be placed in the recycling bin. This means that over half (55%) of the contents of the average garbage bin does not need to go in this bin and should not be going to landfill.

    Recycling bin

    30% of the contents of the average recycling bin is contamination (items that do not belong in this bin). This includes things like bagged garbage, bagged organics, non-recyclable rigid plastics, packaged food and clothing. These items should be placed in the garbage bin. Putting the wrong things in the recycling bin increases the cost of providing the service, increases risks to workers at the sorting facility and leads to more items being sent to landfill.

    Food and garden organics bin

    91% of the contents of the average food and garden organics bin is garden waste. A further 5.5% is food waste. Only 3.5% of the contents of the average food and garden organics bin does not belong in this bin and should be placed in the garbage bin.

Transport data

We collect data on transport in Merri-bek because it helps us make decisions and lets us know if we're meeting our transport targets, like the ones in the Moving Around Merri-bek Transport Strategy.

Our data might be useful to community groups. data science students, traffic engineers and state government organisations such as the Victorian Government Department of Transport.

Councils across Australia are collaborating to develop common data formats to report the types of information commonly collected by Local Government. For more information about this effort and to find out how to get involved, go on the Open Council Data website.

Animal Collection

Animals found in Merri-bek which cannot be identified through a microchip or pet registration are taken to Council’s pound, the wat djerring Animal Facility. 

Unfortunately, some found animals can't be re-homed, such as wild or diseased cats and dangerous dogs. Sadly, there are more unwanted and abandoned animals in the community than there are new homes.

The following tables list the statistics for cats and dogs at Council’s pound (previously Epping Animal Welfare Facility). As of 16 October 2022 the wat djerring Animal Facility is now operated by City of Whittlesea on behalf of Merri-bek and Darebin Councils. 

Dogs (2023-24)

 

July 

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Reclaimed dogs

 6 10 12 14 7 8 16 8 9 12 10 15

Transferred to Rescue

 1 4 3 1 2 10 3 5 1 1 2 0

Adopted dogs

 5 1 4 2 3 2 4 4 4 3 0 3

Euthanised dogs

 1 0 2 0 3 1 4 3 1 1 4 3

 

Cats (2023-24)

 

July 

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Reclaimed cats

 6 5 8 4 4 5 5 3 5 6 6 6

Transferred to Rescue

 12 28 40 59 35 11 25 24 28 21 13 39

Adopted cats

 17 22 21 19 16 11 20 18 30 30 27 30

Euthanised cats

 17 36 13 16 27 26 36 25 44 56 43 12

 

 

Dogs that are euthanised are those identified as not suitable for re-homing after undergoing a behavioural assessment, those that have been surrendered to Council for behavioural issues, or as a result of a court action. 

Cats that are euthanised are those identified as not suitable for re-homing after undergoing a behavioural assessment, or those that are deemed feral or diseased.

Historical Data

  • Dogs (2022-23)

     

    July 

    Aug

    Sep

    Oct

    Nov

    Dec

    Jan

    Feb

    Mar

    Apr

    May

    Jun

    Reclaimed dogs

    15

    16

    11

    4

    16

    8

    15

    15

    6

    10

    10

    7

    Transferred to Rescue

    3

    1

    3

    0

    1

    2

    3

    2

    1

    2

    1

    0

    Adopted dogs

    6

    5

    3

    0

    0

    0

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Euthanised dogs

    1

    3

    3

    1

    0

    0

    2

    2

    2

    0

    3

    0

     

    Cats (2022-23)

     

    July 

    Aug

    Sep

    Oct

    Nov

    Dec

    Jan

    Feb

    Mar

    Apr

    May

    Jun

    Reclaimed cats

    9

    3

    8

    1

    2

    6

    1

    3

    1

    0

    5

    4

    Transferred to Rescue

    19

    6

    19

    10

    34

    22

    65

    29

    0

    9

    4

    15

    Adopted cats

    46

    53

    48

    0

    0

    9

    10

    15

    11

    8

    17

    22

    Euthanised cats

    37

    35

    19

    1

    20

    27

    6

    10

    16

    4

    28

    25

  • Dogs 

     

    July to Sept

    Oct to Dec

    Jan to Mar

    Apr to Jun

    Reclaimed dogs

    30

    33

    37

    38

    Fostered dogs

    2

    1

    2

    2

    Adopted dogs

    8

    5

    12

    7

    Euthanised dogs

    3

    0

    2

    6
     

    Cats 

     

    July to Sept

    Oct to Dec

    Jan to Mar

    Apr to Jun

    Reclaimed domesticated cats

    		 10 16 20 20

    Fostered semi-domesticated or domesticated cats

    		 50 78 66 37

    Adopted domesticated cats

    		 114 93 150 146

    Euthanised wild or diseased cats

    		 52 56 53 45

  • Dogs

     

    July to Sept

    Oct to Dec

    Jan to Mar

    Apr to June

    Reclaimed dogs

    		 38 37 37 33

    Fostered dogs

    		 5 1 1 1

    Adopted dogs

    		 10 16 8 7

    Euthanised dogs

    		 8 6 6 4

    Cats

     

    July to Sept

    Oct to Dec

    Jan to Mar

    Apr to June

    Reclaimed domesticated cats

    		 14 16 15 15

    Fostered semi-domesticated or domesticated cats

    		 53 130 143 85

    Adopted domesticated cats

    		 109 100 166 222

    Euthanised wild or diseased cats

    		 57 97 74 69

     

  • Dogs

     

    Jul-Sep

    Oct-Dec

    Jan-Mar

    Apr-Jun

    Reclaimed dogs

    		 22 43 37 24

    Fostered dogs

    		 1 4 1 7

    Adopted dogs

    		 22 12 10 11

    Euthanised dogs

    		 4 8 9 9

    Cats

     

    Jul-Sep 

    Oct-Dec

    Jan-Mar

    Apr-June

    Reclaimed domesticated cats

    		 8 8 9 15

    Fostered semi-domesticated or domesticated cats

    		 40 99 109 54

    Adopted domesticated cats

    		 121 132 274 168

    Euthanised wild or diseased cats

    		 111 124 130 73