Australia, FOGO stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics. It refers to a waste collection service that combines food scraps with garden waste in a single, lime-green lidded bin.
Sorell Council +3Why FOGO Matters
Environmental Impact: Diverting organics from landfills reduces methane gas emissions, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than CO2.
Resource Recovery: The collected waste is sent to commercial facilities to be processed into high-quality compost, soil conditioners, or even biogas for energy.
Circular Economy: By turning waste into nutrient-rich compost, the system supports local farms and parks, keeping resources within the value chain.
Cleanaway +4
What Goes in a FOGO Bin?
Food Scraps: Vegetable peels, meat, bones, seafood, dairy, and out-of-date food.
Garden Waste: Grass clippings, leaves, weeds, flowers, and small branches.
Compostable Items: Certified compostable liners (AS4736) and sometimes paper towels or soiled cardboard like pizza boxes.
Sorell Council +5
Usage Tips
Kitchen Caddy: Most councils provide a small benchtop container to collect scraps before moving them to the outdoor bin.
Odour Control: To prevent smells, store smelly scraps like meat in the freezer until bin day and keep the bin in a shaded area.
Randwick City Council +2
Would you like to find out if your specific local council has already implemented a FOGO rollout?