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Since July 2022, we began accepting food scraps into the existing lime green-lid organics bin. This includes raw and cooked food, as well as meat and bones, in addition to garden organics.
Congratulations to our community for jumping onboard, together we have diverted over 2.6 tonnes of organics from landfill.
FOGO Kit
Eligible households that order a bin will receive a kit, which will be delivered with your new lime green-lid organics bin. The kit includes:
- kitchen caddy – an eight litre vented container with a lid that sits on the kitchen bench or under the sink to capture and store food waste
- roll of compostable liners – to line the caddy and contain the food waste
- envelope containing information – a bin lid sticker for your outside bin, a fridge magnet and a booklet with instructions.
Households with a shared service or households that did not receive their FOGO kits for an existing service can collect their kit from the Nunawading Customer Service.
Why did we introduce this service?
The average Whitehorse garbage bin contains approximately 46% of food waste, a valuable resource sent to landfill. When organic waste is sent to landfill it rots and produces a potent greenhouse gas called methane.
Space in landfill is limited and the costs of sending waste to landfill are ever-increasing. By 2023, landfill costs are anticipated to be 30% more expensive than the FOGO service.
By using this service, your FOGO materials will be taken to BioGro’s composting facility in Dandenong South and recycled into quality mulch and compost for gardens and farms across Victoria, helping plants and your food grow!
How to use the service
See simple steps below on how to use the service correctly:
- Store the caddy in an accessible location, such as the kitchen bench or under the sink.
- Line your kitchen caddy with the approved lime green compostable liner (AS 4736).
- Open the liner by rubbing gently where it says to do so and fit it inside your caddy. Secure the edges of the liner around the top of the open caddy (refer to the video below for further instruction on how to open your liners).
- Place accepted items in your caddy. See drop down below for what can and can't go in your FOGO bin.
- Empty your caddy regularly by tying up the liner and carrying it to your bin outside.
- Replace liners regularly (approximately every 2-3 days) to keep it clean. It is important to note the liner may break down quicker in warmer conditions and higher water content foods.
- Smelly foods can be wrapped in newspaper or paper towel and sprinkle bi-carb to reduce smells.
- Place your FOGO (lime green-lid) bin out the night before collection
- Your FOGO bin goes out fortnightly, on the alternate week to your recycling bin. Check your collection day.
- Rinse/ wash your caddy regularly
We need your help to get it right
It's important to put the right things in your bin. Incorrect items can end up in the end product, which can cause problems at the composting facility, damage machinery, injure workers and livestock and even result in a full truck load being rejected by the processing facility and sent to landfill.
