Metropolitan councils currently pay $44 per tonne of waste sent to landfill; that fee will rise to $48.40 in five months, with the cost expected to be passed on to ratepayers.

The rise is part of the former ALP government's four-year plan to finance the Department of Sustainability's Sustainability Fund, which supports projects to tackle and off-set climate change. The levy increase is also designed to increase recycling and reduce waste.

The levy increased sharply in 2009–10, from $9 per tonne to $30.

Whittlesea Council local laws manager Wayne Bullock said there was concern the latest rise in the levy would exacerbate a problem of illegal dumping.

Municipal Association of Victoria president Bill McArthur said the MAV was lobbying the government to re-invest more of the levy back

into council services.

In August, the government announced it would fund nine litter prevention officers to be employed at councils.