FOGO FAQs

FOGO FAQs

What is FOGO?

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

Why do I need to FOGO?

All councils in NSW are required by the state government to provide a food recycling service by 2030, and Inner West Council is one of the first Sydney councils to do this. Using your FOGO food recycling bin helps our environment to:

• Halve waste that goes to landfill
• Turn food and garden organics into compost to support farmers and grow better quality produce to feed our families
• Reduce the impacts of climate change

How do I FOGO?

You can use any container to transfer your food scraps – including meats, dairy, and bones – into the green lid FOGO food recycling bin.

Once you receive your kitchen benchtop bin and compostable liners, you will be able to easily transfer your scraps from kitchen to kerb:

1. Line your kitchen benchtop bin with the compostable liners provided, newspaper or put it in ‘nude’ (loose)
2. Collect food scraps, expired food and old takeaway food in your kitchen benchtop bin
3. Empty into your green lid FOGO food recycling bin as needed
4. Cover your scraps with leaves, branches or grass clippings. This will keep your FOGO food recycling bin smelling fresh

How can I check my bin collection days?

Visit the waste calendar page.

What can go in my FOGO bin?

Remove all packaging and place the following food in the green lid FOGO bin:

• All food including rotten fruit or vegetables, stale or mouldy bread, or leftover meals that didn't get eaten in time
• Garden organics
• Compostable liners that comply with Australian Standards (AS4736) for commercial composting

Any type of food can be placed in your green lid FOGO bin. For example:

Garden organics:

The following items CANNOT go in the FOGO bin:

For more information check the NSW EPA website.

I'm concerned about fortnightly garbage collections. What can I do?

We understand that a shift to fortnightly red-lid bin garbage collection can feel like a big change for some, so we have a few supports in place to help everyone manage.

Council is offering an additional booked collection of red lid garbage bins (in the alternate week to the scheduled pick up) to assist households whilst they transition to the weekly FOGO and fortnightly garbage.

• Council clean-up

You can also request a free, larger 240L red bin. Call 9392 5000 to request a large Garbage bin. 

Or contact Waste Busters – they're our helpful team who will look at your waste and give you tips on how to create space in your red lid bin and make FOGO work for you. Contact them at wastebusters@innerwest.nsw.gov.au

We encourage you to call Council to discuss any solutions to suit your particular situation.

Check out Council's A-Z: What Goes Where waste guide for more ideas on how a wide range of items can be recycled, reused, donated or sold, rather than thrown in the red lid garbage bin.

What if I have nappies, incontinence pads or pet waste?

Unfortunately, the chemicals and plastics in disposable nappies and incontinence pads mean they can't be disposed of in the green lid bin and must be sent to landfill. The same is true of pet waste and most commercial cat litter products.

We understand that some families may find this transition challenging and so are offering an additional booked collection of red lid garbage bins (in the alternate week to the scheduled pick-up) to assist households whilst they transition to the weekly FOGO and fortnightly garbage collection.

We also want to provide some reassurance based on the experience of other councils who have introduced food recycling and fortnightly red lid bin collections. They have found that odours from nappies, incontinence pads, period products and pet waste are reduced significantly if wrapped or bagged securely before disposal in the red bin. Evidence also indicates that these odours do not increase from week one to week two.

An additional booked garbage collection can be made here:

• Council clean-up

You might also like to check out the details of our reusable nappy rebate here:

• Reusable sanitary product rebate

Are my rates changing?

No, your rates are not changing. While the red lid garbage bins are collected fortnightly, the green lid FOGO bins are collected weekly. Same amount of waste, collections and trucks – just food is in a different bin. We will need just as many staff and trucks on the ground as before.

When will I receive my kitchen benchtop bin?

Council will provide you with a starter kit which will include a kitchen benchtop bin, a pack of compostable bin liners and a "how to" flyer.

Starter kits will be delivered to you from the end of September to late-October, but you don't need to wait for this to get started.

You can still participate by using another container such as an ice-cream bucket and putting your food scraps straight into the green-lid bin.

Extra compostable bin liners are available for free at Council service centres, libraries and mobile customer service stalls held throughout the community, from Tuesday to Saturday. Compostable liners can also be purchased at supermarkets throughout the Inner West.

Do I have to use a compostable liner?

Putting food in loose without using a liner is the most environmentally friendly way to FOGO. If you choose to put food in loose, here's some tips to get you started:

• Use an airtight container to collect your scraps. This minimises smells in your kitchen
• Store your container near your knife block, under the sink, in your fridge or next your bin as a reminder to use it. Make sure it is stored away from direct sunlight
• Empty your container regularly in the warmer months (2 to 3 times per week)
• Cover food scraps in your green lid wheelie bin. You can cover them with garden organics to help absorb liquids, reduce odours and avoid the attraction of pests

Where can I get compostable liners?

Council will provide you with a pack of compostable bin liners as part of your FOGO starter pack, delivered from the end of September to late-October.

Compostable liners are also available from Council service centres, libraries and mobile customer service stalls held throughout the community, from Tuesday to Saturday.

You can also purchase compostable bin liners from major supermarkets, independent grocers and hardware retailers. Make sure you purchase green liners with the seedling logo or marked "AS4736". Regular plastic bags and "biodegradable" or "degradable" bags, without these markings are not suitable as they will contaminate the compost used by farmers.

Liners make food recycling easy and mess-free. We recommend emptying your benchtop bin 2-3 times per week in the summer months to reduce odours in your kitchen and to ensure liners don’t start composting in your benchtop bin.

Was the community consulted about whether or not they want FOGO?

Yes, the community was consulted during the drafting of the Zero Waste Strategy and the feedback was summarised into a report that informed the Strategy. The introduction of FOGO food recycling is a key part of the Zero Waste Strategy, reflected in the target: Reduce food and garden organic waste disposed in landfill by 60% by 2030 via the action to Maximise garden organics and food waste recovery through kerbside organics services.

The configuration of weekly green lid FOGO food recycling collection and fortnightly red lid garbage was based on the NSW EPA best practice model for maximising food recycling and reducing landfill.

I don't have a green lid bin, can I still FOGO? Do I need to order one?

You will need a green lid FOGO bin to use the FOGO food recycling service.

If you don’t already have a FOGO bin, you can order one online here.

I don't want a FOGO bin (don't have space, don't create food or garden waste, etc.). What should I do?

If you live in a house, or in an apartment with your own separate bins, your red lid garbage bin is now collected fortnightly. Food scraps are still be collected weekly, they will just be in your green lid FOGO bin instead. You can halve the waste in your red bin by using the green lid FOGO (40% of the average garbage bin) and yellow lid recycling bins (10% of the average garbage bin).

If you still do not want to FOGO, we can arrange to have the bin taken away from your property. Please submit a request online.

How can I reduce pests and odours in my home?

Using your FOGO bin is unlikely to create or attract any more odours or pests inside your home than before. The main difference is placing food scraps in a compostable liner instead of a plastic bag, and into your green lid FOGO bin for weekly emptying instead of a red lid garbage bin. Council will provide you with a kitchen benchtop bin, however, you can use any container to collect your food scraps.

1. Start with fruit and vegetable scraps, bread, rice and pasta. Work your way up to meats, seafood and dairy. You can keep these in the fridge or freezer until bin day to minimise smells.
2. Keep a lid on it – lock the lid in place by pulling the handle to the front of the benchtop bin. Alternatively, use an airtight container. 
3. Store the benchtop bin away from direct sun, under the sink or in the fridge to keep it cool and odour-free.
4. Convenience is key - store your container by your knife block, next to your kitchen garbage bin, with your chopping boards, or in the fridge with your produce. This will serve a reminder to use your benchtop bin and will make it easier to empty it regularly.

How can I reduce pests and odours in my green lid FOGO bin?

Using your FOGO bin is unlikely to create more odours or attract more or pests than before. The main difference is placing food scraps in a compostable liner instead of a plastic bag, and into a green lid bin instead of a red lid one. If used correctly, your FOGO bin will not smell or attract pests or vermin.

Empty and clean your kitchen benchtop bin regularly with soapy water to keep it clean. Sprinkle bicarb in your kitchen and outdoor bin to absorb liquids and reduce odours. Make sure your kitchen and outdoor bins have the lids closed to keep vermin and pests out. 

Here are our top tips for odour-free food recycling:

• Present your FOGO bin weekly for collection. If you’re unsure, check what day your FOGO bin is collected on our waste calendar
• Cover your food scraps with sticks, leaves, plant prunings or lawn clippings from your garden
• Move your FOGO bin to a shaded area to avoid direct sunlight
• Place twigs and branches in the bottom of your wheelie bin to stop food sticking and help aerate your bin
• Rinse your wheelie bin with a hose or boiling water as needed

What if I already compost my food scraps?

That's great to hear! Home composting avoids emissions from transporting food organics to a licenced composting facility and produces a natural, nutrient rich product that can be used on your garden. We encourage all residents to continue using existing home composting systems for their food scraps, or reach out to us if they'd like to start.

There are some items like meat, dairy, rice and grains, which are best not composted at home. You can use your green lid FOGO bin to keep them out of landfill and return them to soils as compost.

Residents can establish a home composting system through our home composting programs.

Even if you don't generate a lot of food waste, we still encourage you to use your FOGO bin – every little bit helps.

What will happen if someone puts something in my FOGO bin that doesn't belong (contaminates it)?

If your FOGO bin contains an incorrect item, our service team will tag your bin with a sticker outlining what shouldn’t be in there. If you receive multiple warnings, your bin may be rejected (not emptied) in future.

When incorrect items are collected by our trucks it can contaminate a whole street of FOGO material. The processing facility has strict screening processes and whole truckloads can be rejected if contamination is found. It's important that you use the FOGO bin correctly. If you are unsure, check out Council's website or contact Council.

What if I don't generate garden organics/waste?

You don't need garden waste to use your green lid FOGO food recycling bin. Council will provide households with a kitchen benchtop bin and compostable bin liners to help recover food scraps.

If you don't generate much garden waste, using the compostable liners alone will make the process easy and mess-free.

Your FOGO bin is collected every week if it is presented to the kerb.

You can also request for Council to upsize or downsize your FOGO bin.

What happens to my FOGO?

After your FOGO bin has been emptied, the contents are taken to a commercial composting facility in Forbes. The FOGO material is put through a trommel (a mechanical screening machine used to separate materials), then is shredded, further decontaminated and transferred to a composting platform (called windrows). The windrowed FOGO material is aerated using a windrow turner, and the temperature, moisture and CO2 levels are continuously monitored.

Once the composting process is complete, the FOGO material is tested to ensure it is compliant with EPA and Australian Standards and screened into a range of product sizes prior to sale. The compost and other end products created are used on farms to improve soils and grow more food.

What if my FOGO bin isn't full?

Our collection crews visit your house every week and will empty the bin if it's placed at the kerb, no matter how full it is.

Weekly collection of your FOGO food recycling bin will stop scraps from composting in your bin before they are emptied. This will ensure that your bin doesn’t get too smelly or messy, especially as the weather warms up.

How does my FOGO help farmers?

Three good reasons farmers want your FOGO (food organics, garden organics):

1. Compost creates more resilient soils – compost can increase 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 are harmful to aquatic ecosystems when they are washed into 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. Healthy crops means better quality produce and more food for you, your family and your friends. 

We don't have any green lid or burgundy lid food scraps recycling bins in our apartment. How do we get them?

Head over to the food recycling for apartments web page to find out more.  

At our apartment we have burgundy lid bins. Will these be swapped for green lid FOGO bins?

Yes, this will happen eventually. We are first focusing on ensuring all houses also have the opportunity to recycle their food scraps, and once this is complete we will be swapping the maroon lids on the apartment food scraps recycling bins for green FOGO bin lids.

Food scraps from the maroon lid and green lid bins will all be collected in the same truck and set to the same facility for composting.

Important collection information

• Ensure that garbage bins are placed out fortnightly for collection. Check your collection day using our waste calendar page.
• The maximum weight allowance for a 240 litre bin is 70kg.
• Make sure that the bin lid can be shut. Overflowing bins will not be collected. Please report damaged bins to Council for repair or replacement.
• Be a good neighbour and bring in your bin. Bins left on the road or footpath can go missing, pose a risk to pedestrians and disrupt traffic.

Branches and real Christmas trees

If you have tree branches or real Christmas tree that don't fit into the FOGO bin, cut them into 1 metre lengths and schedule a collection online.

Reporting a lost or stolen bin?

Visit the replacement bin page for details.

Still have a question about FOGO? 

Submit a FOGO rollout request