Time for glass recycling bin: Victoria

Victorians could get a fourth bin just for recycling glass as the state bids to end the ongoing waste crisis sending recycling straight to landfill.

A parliamentary committee on Wednesday has recommended the state government fund councils to introduce a separate bin for glass recycling.

"The committee would like to ensure where possible that glass collected as part of a municipal scheme with a separate glass bin is used in a way that would encourage its ongoing re-use, such as for re-making glass bottles," the report said.

Victorian councils have been sending recycling straight to landfill after a major recycler went into administration.

The federal government has also banned the exports of rubbish overseas, in a bid to create a recycling industry in Australia.

But a series of reports have shown Australia's recycling waste is of low quality because it is commingled and needs to be sorted.

The committee's report found introducing a separate recycling bin just for glass would reduce contamination and increase recycling.

"Glass is truly the most sustainable packaging option available because it is infinitely recyclable -- it can be turned back into a bottle within 30 days of being consumed, going through the recycling system," Gary Combes from glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois is quoted as saying in the report.

"It is the only true closed-loop packaging system in Australia at the moment that is working well."