Why can’t long-life cartons go in my recycling bin?

Although some councils will accept them, some won't. Long-life cartons are made from a material called liquid paperboard. This is a combination of mainly cardboard, with a thin layer of plastic and aluminium foil.

At the moment, processing of liquid paperboard isn’t very effective so when long-life cartons are put in the recycling bin, they contaminate the other items to be recycled.

Waste and recycling during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Household waste and recycling collections will continue as normal.

In metro Melbourne, council waste and recycling facilities are not open to the public. These facilities include collection, treatment, disposal and transfer stations. They will remain open for commercial contractors only.

In regional Victoria, facilities are open. Visitors must follow all directions and instructions for maintaining a COVIDSafe environment.

If you have unwanted items at home, hold onto them until these facilities re-open. For other options, check the waste and recycling advice for your local council area.

For more information on the roadmap across Victoria please refer to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Want to recycle something else?

Search for another item to find out if it can go in your home recycling bin or if it needs to be dropped off somewhere else.