A local council has warned Victoria's "culture of recycling" is at risk, after an estimated 780 rubbish trucks' worth of recyclables were sent to landfill in a week.

Key points: More than 4,600 tonnes of recyclables were estimated to go to landfill in one week

More than 4,600 tonnes of recyclables were estimated to go to landfill in one week Councils contracted to the embattled SKM Recycling are struggling to find alternatives

Councils contracted to the embattled SKM Recycling are struggling to find alternatives Geelong's Mayor said the "incredibly frustrating" situation was a burden on the community

The ABC asked all 31 councils that used SKM Recycling to clarify how many tonnes of recycling they had sent to landfill in the week after the embattled processor stopped taking new material.

Geelong, which has a population of more than 278,000 people, confirmed it had sent about 530 tonnes to the tip, substantially more than any other council affected by the crisis.

"It's incredibly frustrating," Geelong's Mayor Bruce Harwood said.

"It's a huge burden on council but it's a bigger burden on the community.

"We're the losers. We're filling up valuable landfill space. It's bad for the environment, it's the worst thing you can do with your waste."

Other major councils forced to send their recyclables directly to the tip were Whittlesea, Knox, Brimbank, Darebin, Melbourne, Nillumbik and Port Phillip.

Casey, in Melbourne's outer south-east, could not provide data for August but said it collected about 100 tonnes of recyclable material per day. Industry sources said the figure would be close to 576 tonnes sent to landfill a week.

A few councils had managed to find an alternative processor, including Stonnington, Colac Otway Shire and the Mornington Peninsula.

Boroondara estimates it sent 460 tonnes during the dates specified, but as of Monday was sending new material to another processor.

Some regional councils were stockpiling the material, such as Ballarat, which receives about 200 tonnes of recycling per week — but this could only be sustained until Friday.

According to the data supplied by councils, the amount sent to landfill during the period came in at about 4,681 tonnes, which industry sources said was the equivalent of 780 garbage trucks.

Some councils did not provide the information requested by the ABC, so the total number is expected to be higher.

Councils look to state sustainability fund

As pressure mounts on the State Government to find a long-term fix, councils are urging residents to take their recycling to collection points or recovery centres.

Recyclables sent to landfill Council Tonnes to landfill Greater Geelong 530 Casey 576* Boroondara 460 Whittlesea 390 Knox 340 Brimbank 325 Darebin 287 Nilumbik 235 Port Phillip 216 Moonee Valley 200 Others 1,122 Total 4,681 Source: Council data for July 26 to August 2 *Based on industry estimate

"We want people to not lose that culture of recycling," Cr Harwood said.

"Residents only pay for their rubbish to be collected from the curb side. They don't pay for it to be recycled."

Each tonne of recycling sent to the tip tops up the State Government's sustainability fund, which collects a cut through the Victorian Municipal and Industrial Landfill Levy.

The fund is valued at more than $400 million, and Cr Harwood said that pool of money could be used immediately to offer some solutions to the crisis.

Premier Daniel Andrews said his Labor Government was still considering what to do with the extra money flowing into the state's coffers.

"That matter is being examined right now," Mr Andrews said.

"We're not looking at making a windfall out of this.

"This is not a choice that people have made. It's a very regrettable set of circumstances but I'm not going to have a situation where an operator like SKM gets a free pass on safety."

Opposition leader Michael O'Brien said there was no way the Government "should be profiting off their own recycling failure".

Uncertainty about future for SKM stockpiles

SKM Recycling notified the 31 councils it would no longer take recycling products after the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) banned it from accepting new recyclable materials at one of its sites.

SKM Recycling is responsible for more than half the state's recycling needs, with Visy and Polytrade taking care of the rest.

One warehouse in Derrimut, in Melbourne's west, was left with around 10,000 tonnes of partially recycled waste after its former tenant SKM was declared insolvent last week.

"I hate to think that all this will go into the ground and create all this pollution," warehouse landlord Carly Whitington said.

"We've tried to make several contacts with the Government to get some answers and hope that this doesn't go into landfill."

After SKM confirmed it would no longer take recyclables, the Environment Minister Lily D 'Ambrosio said the State Government was working to redirect up to 40 per cent of recyclables originally destined for SKM.

The State Government has so far refused to outline what other solutions it is working on to further address the crisis.

"I've got no announcements to make today," the Premier said.