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FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Waste Management Service

What is FOGO?

FOGO stands for Food Organics, Garden Organics. It refers to a wide range of organic materials that can be composted—such as food scraps, garden clippings, leaves, weeds, and more.

When FOGO is introduced, residents will be able to dispose of eligible food and garden waste in their green waste bin, which is collected kerbside from all properties in the designated collection area.

Council is developing educational materials to help the community understand what items can and cannot go into the FOGO bin.

As part of our Waste Management Strategy 2023, Sorell Council is getting ready to introduce a FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) kerbside collection service for our municipality.

We want you to have your say on how you want us to roll out our FOGO service.

Your feedback will help shape how we meet our commitment to introduce FOGO, by extending the existing garden green waste collection service introduced last year to our community.

The main question we are seeking feedback on is what frequency of collection would suit our community best.

Detailed information is provided below to assist you understand what FOGO is and why we are implementing it. We encourage you to read this information before you complete our survey.

SURVEY COMING SOON!

Why Is Council Introducing FOGO?

Introducing FOGO is one of the most effective actions Council can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and divert waste from landfill.

Currently, 40–60% of household waste sent to landfill is organic. By separating and processing these materials, we can:

  • Reduce harmful methane emissions
  • Create high-quality compost
  • Extend the life of landfill sites

To support this initiative, a new composting facility will be developed, with more details to be announced during 2025–26.

The Tasmanian Government set the target of reducing the volume of organic waste sent to landfill by 25% by 2025, and 50% by 2030, under The Tasmanian Draft Waste Action Plan (2019).

In the National Waste Policy Action Plan, the Australian Government with States and Territories have agreed to:

  • Support the development of infrastructure to process organic waste by 2022
  • Introduce FOGO collection services to households and businesses by 2023.
  • Halve the amount of organic waste sent to landfill for disposal by 2030.
  • Achieve an 80% average resource recovery rate from all waste streams by 2030.

The Plan also aims to reduce annual total waste generated in Australia by 10% per person by 2030. That amounts to about 300 kg reduction of waste per person per year.

By reducing and recovering organic waste through FOGO, we’re working together toward a more sustainable, low-waste future for our community.

FAQs

What is FOGO?

FOGO is a Food Organics and Garden Organics waste collection system. The kerbside collection service is for both food and garden waste including kitchen scraps, lawn clippings and small branches. It is an extension of the existing garden waste service which has been adopted by over 7400 homes across Sorell since it started in 2024.

The existing green waste (green lid) wheelie bins at your home will now be used for FOGO.

Why is Council implementing FOGO?

We know that approximately 50% of the average household garbage bin is food or organics waste, and a further 10% is garden waste. By collecting this organic material and composting it into nutrient rich soil, the FOGO service reduces waste to landfill and the release of greenhouse gas emissions.

Sorell Council has committed to introducing FOGO under our Waste Management Strategy 2023, as the second stage of this strategy following the roll out of kerbside collection for green waste in July 2024.

Implementing FOGO will help us align with National and State Waste Policies. The Tasmanian Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2023–2026 emphasises the importance of transitioning to a circular economy, where waste is minimised, and resources are reused and recycled. The National Waste Policy Action Plan 2019 sets a target to halve the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030.

Diverting organics from landfill is the most significant action Council can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 83% of Councils corporate emissions are generated from sending waste to landfill. This is why diverting organics from landfill is a key priority for us.

Furthermore, the Tasmanian Government Landfill levy rate will be increasing to over $68 per tonne in 2026/2027.  As a result, it will be cheaper per tonne to process FOGO which will in turn create savings for Council and the community.

Many Councils in Tasmania have already implemented a FOGO service for their community or are planning to do so in the next few years.

What are the benefits of FOGO?

  • Reduce Landfill Waste – Food and garden waste make up a large portion of household garbage. By diverting this from landfill, we reduce the amount of waste that ends up buried, which helps extend landfill lifespan and lower disposal costs.
  • Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Organic waste in landfill breaks down and produces methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. Composting FOGO waste greatly reduces these emissions.
  • Create Useful Compost – FOGO waste can be turned into high-quality compost and soil conditioners, which supports a circular economy, where waste becomes a resource.
  • Lower Waste Management Costs Over Time – Diverting organic waste from landfill reduces long-term expenses related to landfill levies and waste processing.
  • Promote Community Sustainability – FOGO will help us educate and encourage our community to think more sustainably about their waste habits and food usage.

What will the FOGO collection area be?

  • FOGO collection area will be the same as the current green waste wheelie bin collection area. We are simply extending the current service to cater for organic food waste, in addition to green waste that is already collected.
  • Residents already outside of the green waste collection area that have chosen to ‘opt in’ to green waste collection, will be automatically added to FOGO collection.

Will general waste / garbage collection be changing?

Council is considering which is the most effective way to introduce FOGO for our municipality – which is why we are seeking the community’s view on the best way to introduce this important service.

The main question we are seeking feedback on is what frequency of collection would suit our community best.

The two options being proposed are:

  • Collecting FOGO fortnightly and maintaining general garbage weekly; or
  • FOGO collected weekly and garbage collected fortnightly.

Council is not proposing to consider both weekly FOGO and weekly general waste collection at this stage, as this represents a significant increase in collections from our contractor and related disposal and processing costs. This option would be significant cost implications to Council and the community.

However, it is important to note that Council will continually monitor and assess the collection service, and will consider transitioning to further changes in the coming years to help to appropriately divert more organics waste away from landfill.

What are the pros and cons of each approach?

Fortnightly FOGO collection and weekly garbage collection

  • This option represents a minimal change to service collection, which will make the introduction of FOGO easier for the community, by maintaining the existing general waste collection frequency of weekly, and increasing the green waste collection from monthly (as it is now) to fortnightly.
  • It will save money to Council and the community in the immediate term, as new larger general waste / garbage bins will not need to be purchased and provided to households.
  • Research and data from other Councils suggests that on average, less organics are diverted away from landfill with fortnightly FOGO and weekly garbage collection.
  • All other Tasmanian Councils with FOGO collection services have implemented a fortnightly FOGO. Some also have fortnightly general waste collection (with some Council’s offering an ‘opt in’ weekly service). Others have retained the weekly collection service.  frequency,

Weekly FOGO collection and fortnightly garbage collection

  • Research and data from other Councils indicates that a higher percentage of organics are diverted from landfill to FOGO when general waste / garbage collection is fortnightly rather than weekly.
  • The data also suggests that higher volumes of organics are diverted with weekly vs fortnightly FOGO collection.
  • If food and organics waste is put into FOGO bins, as they make up a large proportion of current general waste volume, there will be less of a need to collect garbage weekly.
  • Collecting general waste fortnightly is likely to save on collection costs in the long term, as behaviours change, and more organics waste is diverted from landfill (meaning lower volumes of general waste).
  • This option will be more costly to Council and the community in the immediate term, as new larger general waste / garbage bins may need to be purchased and provided to households by Council.
  • There may be concerns about about ‘smelly’ garbage and overflowing bins.  

Will I need a new FOGO bin?

  • No, existing 240L green waste bins (green lid) will be used for FOGO.

What can go in a FOGO bin?

All food and organic waste can go into your FOGO bin, including:

  • Garden waste: grass clippings, flowers, leaves, weeds, and branches (items currently put into your green waste bin)
  • Food scraps: vegetables, meat and seafood waste, raw or cooked bones, eggshells, fruit (including citrus), dairy, rice, pasta, coffee grounds, out of date meals removed from packaging.
  • Paper products such as paper towels, pizza boxes, tissues, shredded paper

What can’t I put in a FOGO bin?

PLEASE DO NOT put in:

  • plastics or biodegradable plastics
  • plastic bags
  • cling wrap
  • glass,
  • tins and cans
  • foil
  • Tetrapaks
  • nappies
  •  treated timber
  • gravel, rocks or building material
  • fireplace ash
  • pet waste
  • dead animals

None of these items are suitable for your FOGO bin – these can go in the garbage bin.

Separate food waste from containers so only food waste goes in FOGO. If the container is recyclable, then give it a rinse and it can go into the recycling bin.

Will there be any change to the yellow recycling bin collection?

  • No change – this service will remain the same.

Will there be any change to the hard waste kerbside collections?

  • Not at this stage. Our kerbside hard waste collections will remain twice per year with bookings required.

Will the existing bulk green waste kerbside collection cease?

  • Not at this stage. Our kerbside bulk green waste collections will remain four times per year with bookings required.

What will happen to the FOGO waste?

  • This will be taken to an organic processing facility at the Copping Waste Management Centre.

When will FOGO commence?

  • July 2026

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