Clean-up and waste

If your home is insured, contact your insurance company even if you don't know the full extent of the damage. Take photos and make a list of everything that is damaged.

If you don’t have your policy, you can request it from your insurance provider. 

If you don’t know your insurer, call the Insurance Council of Australia at 1800 734 621 to see if they can help you.

If you haven’t accepted an insurance payout, you are encouraged to seek clean-up through your insurer. 

It's wise to get advice before accepting a settlement offer.

You can talk to a financial counsellor via the National Debt Helpline at 1800 007 007 or contact the Financial Rights Legal Centre or Disaster Legal Help or contact Arc Justice for advice before accepting a settlement offer.

ERV does not oversee resident discussions with insurers.

When you register, the team will ask you some questions to see if you’re eligible. Sometimes, eligibility confirmation can take time. This is due to collecting and assessing documents like a copy of your insurance policy, to check if someone is underinsured or meets business criteria. 

For a home to be eligible, it must be a property you own and where you usually live - your primary place of residence. Structures like sheds might also be eligible. 

Site inspections are scheduled once eligibility is confirmed.

There are other clean-up services available. This includes information on grants for primary producers and free waste disposal. You can find information on help for your clean-up at https://www.vic.gov.au/clean-and-waste  

Once eligibility is confirmed, ERV/Forge Solutions will book the site assessment with you. After the assessment, you will receive a work pack. 

The work pack includes details about: 

• the work that can be done 
• what you need to do to proceed.

Once the Site Assessment has been completed and you have received the Work Plan you can then choose if you want to go ahead with the clean-up or not. There are several reasons that may lead residents to delay or not proceed with works or take time to decide to go ahead. This timeline is up to you as it can be a big decision. 

The clean-up process does not offer partial demolition nor guarantee that foundations can be retained. Services will need to be disconnected and a work zone established.

During this time, you should also think about any permits you might need for rebuilding - you can call Council's Planning and Building Units on 5772 0333 to discuss this further. 

If you opt in for the clean-up, the site supervisor will contact you to arrange a site walk-through to explain the works.

• You’ll need to leave while the work is being done.
• Your site supervisor will tell you about what is happening and any changes.
•  If new work is needed that wasn’t in the original scope of works, the contractor will talk to you about it.

• After it's done, the contractor will meet you on site to talk through what they did.
• We’ll then send you a record of this work in a Completion pack.
• Then, you can focus on your next steps, whatever is right for you.

First, it is important to register for the Emergency Management Victoria free clean-up.

If you are insured, contact your insurance company.

If you need to use Council facilities, contact Michael Hill, Resource Recovery Team Leader on 0408 185 196 to discuss your requirements and to make an appointment.

For material going to Alexandra Landfill contractors must contact either: 

Kris Sawyer
Waste Management Supervisor 
Tel: 0408 286 838 

or

Peter Elward
Waste Management Supervisor 
Tel: 0417 683 492 

This ensures waste can be managed safely and in accordance with EPA and Council requirements. 

Waste that includes:

• material damaged by fire, smoke, ash, or firefighting activities, or
• required to be removed as part of cleaning up a fire affected property.

Examples of eligible waste include:

• fire damaged household items
• burnt or fire affected building materials
• fire affected fencing and structures
• ash contaminated materials.

All bushfire related landfill refuse must be taken to the Alexandra Landfill weighbridge.

• All landfill loads must be weighed and recorded.

Bushfire affected items that are normally accepted at RRCs should continue to be taken there, including:

• green waste (trees, branches, vegetation)
• scrap metal
• whitegoods
• mattresses and bulky items
• tyres
• e-waste
• bricks
• concrete.

Important:

• All materials must be fully separated before arrival.
• Take your own shovel/s with you.
• Mixed or unseparated loads will not be accepted.
• Normal site operating, safety, and EPA licence requirements apply. 

Find the times and location for Murrindindi's Resource and Recovery Centres

The waste must be directly related to the January 2026 bushfires and it applies to:

• residents,
• landholders,
• businesses, and
• primary producers disposing of eligible disaster waste.

What do I need to bring with me

You will need to bring:

• A driver’s licence showing your address, or
• A rates notice or other proof of property location

This information is sighted only and not recorded. 

Yes. For safety, compliance, and audit purposes, staff will:

• Visually inspect loads to confirm they are eligible bushfire related disaster waste,
• Confirm waste is consistent with the January 2026 bushfires,
• Direct separated materials to the appropriate areas on site.

Loads that do not meet requirements may be refused. 

Yes. Businesses and contractors have additional mandatory requirements.

Contractors must provide, prior to disposal:

• company name and ABN
• contractor contact details
• property owner name and contact details
• property address where the bushfire related waste was generated

For eligible bushfire waste disposed of on behalf of residents during the waiver period, no disposal charges apply. However, material will not be accepted without complete and accurate information.

A declaration confirming the waste is eligible for either Gate Fee Rebate or Waste Levy Waiver will be provided at the RRC for completion. 

Yes. Asbestos is subject to strict conditions:

• landfill only (Alexandra Landfill)
• prior approval is required before disposal
• must be correctly identified
• must be double wrapped and sealed in accordance with EPA Victoria requirements
• must be presented in liftable parcels (approximately 20–30 kg)

Soil contaminated with asbestos cannot be accepted. 

If you’re unsure:

• contact Council before attending for advice, or
• speak with site staff once you have made an appointment.

Staff understand that clean‑up needs vary and can help determine eligibility. 

Visit Resource Recovery Centres and Landfill web page for details on opening times, locations and more.

You can also sign up for the LoopedIn Councils app to find your waste dates and more.