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Bass Coast launches free tactile bin symbols boosting independence for vision-impaired residents across community

Bass Coast Shire Council is offering free Tactile Bin Symbols to help blind and low-vision residents identify kerbside bins by touch. Made from recycled plastic, the initiative promotes accessibility, independence and sustainability.

By news@gippsland - 29th May 2026 - Back to News

Bass Coast Shire Council is proud to introduce a new accessibility initiative designed to make everyday tasks simpler and more independent for people who are blind or have low vision. Tactile Bin Symbols are now available free to the community. These small, moulded shapes attach to kerbside bin lids, helping residents easily tell the difference between recycling, food and garden organics, and general rubbish by using touch instead of sight.

(L-R) Rosalie, a Gippsland resident with lived experience of low vision, with Waste Education Officer Isobella and Access and Equity Officer Harriet, who are available to support residents in installing tactile bin symbols at home

Accessible bins initiative

The symbols are made from recycled polypropylene plastic, aligning with Council’s commitment to sustainability. To share how the symbols work in real life, Council met with Rosalie, a Gippsland resident with lived experience of low vision.

When Rosalie was 18, she began to gradually lose her vision, and in 2003, was formally diagnosed with Stargardt disease which is a type of macular degeneration. Like many people with low vision, Rosalie had full sight earlier in life and has adapted over time, relying on memory and her remaining peripheral vision.

Living in regional Victoria, she knows first‑hand how important simple, accessible tools can be in daily life.
Speaking about the initiative. "I think it's great that the council has this initiative. I’m the one who puts the bins out each week, and I need to be really mindful that I’m putting recycling into recycling and rubbish into rubbish," she said.

Tactile recycling symbols

For Rosalie, touch plays a key role in how she understands and navigates the world, "The Council’s initiative of tactile markers really helps, because I do a lot of things with my fingers, that’s how I make sense of the world and how I do things. It means that when I’m putting my rubbish in the bin, I know I’m doing the right thing and recycling properly."

Each shape represents a different bin:

• Triangle for yellow‑lid recycling
• Circle for green‑lid food and garden organics
• Square for red‑lid general rubbish

The symbols are simple to install using a small amount of glue, with easy instructions provided.

Promoting inclusion daily

Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Brett Tessari said the initiative shows how small ideas can make a meaningful difference. "This is a simple idea, but it can make a big difference to someone’s independence day‑to‑day. It’s a great example of the work we’re doing through our Disability Action Plan - listening to our community and taking practical steps to make Bass Coast more inclusive for everyone."

Bass Coast Shire Council’s Disability Action Plan 2025–2029 sets out Council's commitment to creating a more accessible and inclusive community. Initiatives like the tactile bin symbols are a direct response to feedback from people living with disability, who have highlighted how everyday tasks - like sorting waste - can become barriers.

By removing these small barriers, Council is helping people feel more confident, independent and connected in their daily lives. Residents can pick up a free set of tactile bin symbols from Council’s Customer Service Locations:

• Wonthaggi Civic Centre
• Inverloch Hub
• Grantville Transaction Centre
• Berninneit, Cowes

Each set comes in a small paper bag with a simple guide. For those who would like assistance, Council’s Access and Equity Officer or Waste Education Officer can visit and help install the symbols. For more information on the tactile bin symbols and how to get a set, visit Bass Coast Shire Council website.

Pictures from Bass Coast Shire Council website.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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• Open house Latrobe opens doors to historic, cultural and industrial sites across the region for visitors to explore and discover from 9 - 11 October 2026
  A chance to visit the most intriguing buildings and places in Latrobe City, normally behind closed doors. The festival will open up significant buildings, infrastructure and landscapes.
• Matt Canavan slams Farrell's EU trade deal as farmers face unfair competition and restricted market access
  Matt Canavan criticised Labor's EU free trade deal, accusing it of disadvantageous to Australian farmers through quotas, tariffs, subsidies and inadequate market access, while urging renegotiation.
• Gippsland Water offers face-to-face bill support through September pop-ups across Morwell, Sale, Traralgon and Drouin
  Gippsland Water will host September pop-ups across the region, offering customers face-to-face help with bills, payment plans, concessions and government assistance amid cost-of-living pressures, with events in Morwell, Sale, Traralgon and Drouin.
• Warragul Leisure Centre extends outdoor pool season following community feedback with revised opening hours through April 2027
  Warragul Leisure Centre will extend outdoor pool access from October, introducing revised opening hours following community feedback, with the schedule continuing through April 10, 2027.
• Nathan Kearsley and Jill Colson appointed as Baw Baw Shire new directors following recent organisational restructure
  Baw Baw Shire Council has appointed Nathan Kearsley and Jill Colson as new directors following a restructure reducing its executive leadership team from five to three.
• Rob Moffatt officially joins Latrobe City Council as Morwell River Ward's newly elected councillor after by-election and oath of office
  Latrobe City Council has welcomed Rob Moffatt as Morwell River Ward's newly elected councillor. He formally commenced after taking his oath, joining the nine-member council for the remainder of its current term.
• Upgraded Traralgon Indoor Stadium welcomes more community sport and elite events with $6M investment
  A $6 million upgrade to Traralgon Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium delivers improved facilities, creates local jobs, and positions the venue to attract more elite sporting events and community participation.
• Cann River Cafe creates local employment pathways through community training and youth opportunities
  Cann River has opened Fern & Feather Cafe, a community-owned training initiative providing hospitality skills, employment pathways, youth opportunities and funding for local community programs.
• East Gippsland Landcare Groups secure funding for environmental projects and community conservation across the region
  East Gippsland Landcare groups received 22 project and 11 support grants under the 2026 Victorian program, funding habitat restoration, weed management, biodiversity, education and volunteer activities.
• Moe Inline Hockey Championships secure five-year council funding, expected to boost $15M into local economy through visitor spending
  Latrobe City Council will provide $100,000 over five years to support Moe’s Australian Inline Hockey Club Championships, expected to generate $15 million locally through visitor spending and accommodation.
• Statement from CEO Tilla Buden - Councillor Ben Lucas to contest Victorian state election
  West Ward Councillor Ben Lucas will contest the Victorian State Election on 28 November 2026. He plans to seek leave from Council, with administrative arrangements underway to ensure Council operations and procedures continue during his absence.