FOGO at school

FOGO is a combined Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) food recycling service that turns the contents of your green lid bin into compost for farmers. The green lid bin accepts all food scraps including meats, dairy and bones with garden organics. 

See an extended list of what is and isn't accepted below. 

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) introduced a state-wide mandate for Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling, to reduce food waste and stop food waste going to landfill. The mandate requires most businesses and institutions (such as schools) to divert food scraps from landfill by 2030. Some schools and institutions may be affected as early as 1 July 2026.

Composting your food scraps through the green lid bin helps to:

• Support local farmers and the agricultural industry
• Create full-time employment opportunities
• Further Australia's domestic waste processing capacity
• Develop Australian Made products and improve the local economy 
• Reduce waste to landfill and support a circular economy 
• Minimise the impacts of climate change

Schools in the Inner West local government area can register their interest in receiving the FOGO service by emailing rethink.waste@innerwest.nsw.gov.au

A Resource Recovery Officer will ensure that your school is prepared to successfully implement the service.  

Council will provide schools with a FOGO starter kit that includes:

• Up to 2 x 240L green lid wheelie bins 
• Up to 30 x 7L benchtop bins (including one pack of liners each) 
• FOGO education poster 
• FOGO in Schools Guide

Our Resource Recovery Officers will organise a time to deliver the FOGO starter kit and confirm when your green bins will be collected.

Food and garden organics are taken to a licenced composting facility and turned into nutrient rich compost.

Firstly, your FOGO is cleaned by removing contamination (by hand and with machinery). It's then shredded into smaller pieces so healthy fungi and bacteria can break it down. The shredded material is transferred to a composting platform (called windrows) where heat, water and oxygen turn it to a soil-like material.  

FOGO material is tested to ensure compliance with EPA and Australian Standards and screened into a range of product sizes prior to sale. Three common products include:

Soil conditioners - like hair conditioners - increase the strength of soils by providing essential nutrients. Soil conditioners can increase the water holding capacity of soils - meaning they can absorb more water during intense rainfall. This reduces soil erosion, flood damage and increases the amount of water they can store for periods of drought. Climate resilient soils are critical as weather patterns become more extreme and less predictable. 

Compost - compost provides essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N,P,K). Compost increases the abundance and diversity of microbes in the soil which allows plants to access more nutrients in the soil. This improves plant growth and means more grass on your sporting fields or more corn on your cob!

Fertiliser - organic fertilisers provide a balanced and slow release of essential nutrients to the soil. This reduces the risk of polluting waterways and provides a more reliable source of food for crops. Fertilisers made from FOGO are created using natural feedstocks and require far less energy than synthetic fertilisers.

Three good reasons farmers want your FOGO to make their compost: 

1. Compost creates more resilient soils – compost increases the amount of water absorbed by soils. This reduces flooding during intense rainfall and stores water for longer during times of drought.
   
   
2. Compost returns vital nutrients to the soil and reduces farmers’ reliance on artificial fertilisers - synthetic fertilisers are expensive and can harm streams, estuaries and river systems.
   
   
3. Compost enhances the natural immunity of soils - this helps soils naturally fight off disease and decreases the reliance on synthetic pesticides and herbicides. Healthy crops mean better quality produce and more food for you, your family and your friends. 

That's great! Compost bins and worm farms avoid emissions from transporting food and garden organics and produce a nutrient rich product for school gardens. We encourage schools to continue using compost bin and worm farming systems for their food scraps.

We recommend using unlined benchtop bins or food scrap containers for compost bins and worm farms.

There are some items like meat, dairy, rice and grains, which are best not composted or given to worms. You can use your green lid FOGO bin to keep them out of landfill. 

Even the most seasoned users can experience challenges with FOGO. Avoid odours and pests by following some of these tips:

1. Freeze meats, bones and dairy until bin night. We promise it won't stink out your freezer.
   
   
2. Store your benchtop bin, and wheelie bin, away from direct sunlight.
   
   
3. Sprinkle bicarb in the bottom of your benchtop bin to absorb liquids. This will reduce odours and increase the life of your compostable bin liner. 
   
   
4. If possible, cover food scraps in the wheelie bin with leaves, branches or lawn clippings.
    
5. Rinse and dry your FOGO benchtop bin and wheelie bin after emptying. Your benchtop bin is dishwasher safe - the handles and lid can be removed for easy stacking. 
   
   
6. Consider using a bin tag to deter pests which are attracted to odours in the warmer months. Bin repellents can be purchased from hardware retailers, supermarkets and local grocers. 
   
   
7. You don't have to use the benchtop bin provided. Consider using an old Tupperware or airtight container (old ice cream, hummus or yoghurt tub) to store your scraps. Airtight containers keep odours contained and won't attract flies.

Schools will be provided with up to 30 x 7 litre benchtop bins. If you require more, we recommend using a large yoghurt tub, ice cream container or old Tupperware container to collect food scraps. 

It's not mandatory to use the supplied benchtop bin. Schools are encouraged to use any container with a lid that suits your classroom, staffroom, canteen or kitchen. 

If you need an additional benchtop bin or wish to replace the lid or handle of a damaged bin, please email rethink.waste@innerwest.nsw.gov.au with your schools name.

One pack of compostable bin liners per benchtop bin will be provided to schools.

Schools can choose to use green, AS4736 certified liners to recover food scraps. Alternatively, schools can use any container with a lid to collect food scraps. 

If choosing to purchase compostable bin liners, please ensure the liners are green in colour and carry the 'seedling logo' (AS4736 certified). They can be purchased from major supermarkets, independent grocers and some hardware retailers.

Participating schools can check the inside cover of the FOGO at School guide to see their collection day.

Contact your Principal or responsible teacher to confirm. 

If you're still unsure, email rethink.waste@innerwest.nsw.gov.au with your school's name and we can check for you.