Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO)

The FOGO service is one of the simplest ways we can all reduce carbon emissions and achieve our state-wide goal of halving the amount of waste that is sent to landfill by 2030. In landfill, food waste creates methane, a harmful greenhouse gas emission that contributes to climate change.

Before the introduction of FOGO, 56 per cent of waste found in the average red lid garbage bin in Manningham was food waste. The FOGO service will divert waste from landfill and instead create compost.

The compost created from Manningham’s food and garden waste will be transformed into high-grade compost for parks and gardens. This compost is also used to support farms across Victoria.

FOGO is a state-wide initiative that will see all Victorian Councils introduce a FOGO service by 2030 as outlined in the State Government's Recycling Victoria Policy. 

The food and garden waste collected from Manningham households will be sent to Bio Gro, an organics facility where it will be transformed into high-grade compost. The compost will be used in farms across Victoria.

No, your bins will continue to be collected on the same day as they have been.

Your existing green lid bin is your FOGO bin. 

Removing food waste from your garbage bin is one of the easiest changes we can make to start reducing our waste. 

The cost of disposing waste to landfill is continually increasing, so we are rethinking the way we sort our rubbish. Our data tells us that the average red lid garbage bin in Manningham was made up of approximately:

• 56 per cent food waste
• 6.5 per cent garden waste
• 7.5 per cent recyclable material
• only 30 per cent residual waste - the waste which actually belongs in our garbage bin.
   

FOGO is also a State-wide initiative (State Government's Recycling Victoria Policy) with all Victorian Councils introducing a FOGO service by 2030, this includes changing the frequency of garbage collection to fortnightly to achieve State-wide landfill diversion rates.  

We appreciate there are households with special waste needs, such as children in nappies. These households will have the option of requesting a larger garbage bin at a discounted rate, see our FAQ about households with children in nappies for more information.

Yes, you can upgrade a standard size 80L red lid garbage bin to a larger size 120L red lid garbage bin. Find out more about swapping the size of your bins.

If a 120L red lid garbage bin is not large enough to suit your household’s waste needs, you will be able to apply to upgrade your bin to a 240L red lid garbage bin.

A one-off administration and delivery fee will be payable if you choose to upgrade your red lid bin.

We understand residents with children in nappies may require a larger bin, so we are offering a discounted larger 240L garbage bin for households that have two children under four in daytime nappies.

You can apply to upgrade your current garbage bin by completing an application form to assess your eligibility. 

To be eligible, you must have two children under four years of age.

Where the household includes two (or more) children, both under the age of four years and in daytime nappies, the following documentation must be provided:

• a statutory declaration
• copies of birth certificates
• a medicare card showing the names of each child

The concession will expire after two years unless a subsequent application is approved.

Tenants will need to contact the owner, landlord or property manager to request an application form on their behalf. The tenant will be required to complete the application form.

Apply now

We understand some residents with children in nappies are concerned about the odour of their red lid garbage bin with the fortnightly collection frequency change. 

We know that nappies and bins smell however, we also know that other local council areas who have changed to a fortnightly garbage bin collection have not experienced issues with nappies or odours. A Community Nappy Trial in Lake Macquarie Council even found that the smell of bins that contained nappies was no worse at the end of two weeks than it was at the end of one week. 

Tips to try for managing the smell of nappies in your bin:

• Firmly wrap nappies before placing them in your bin
• Put solids from nappies into the toilet before wrapping and placing in your bin
• Keep your red lid bin in the shade or out direct sunlight
• Sprinkle bicarb soda into your bin to help neutralise smells
• Consider the idea of switching to cloth nappies, even for part of the time.

For households that have a lot of nappies and find there are too many for your existing red lid bin, you can look at upsizing your red lid garbage bin. If you have two or more children under the age of four in daytime nappies, you may be eligible for a discount, see our FAQs for more detail.

If you can eat it or it grew in the ground it will be able to go in your green lid FOGO bin.

In addition to your garden waste, you will be able to place all food waste in your FOGO bin. This includes:

• fruit and vegetable scraps
• meat and bones (raw and cooked)
• eggs and dairy
• seafood
• bread, pasta, rice and cereal
• loose tea leaves and coffee grounds
• tissues, paper towel and shredded paper
• plate scrapings and leftovers

For further information we have a comprehensive A to Z guide available. 

Yes, only food and garden waste can be placed into your FOGO bin.

Food packaging including stickers, rubber bands, plastic containers, tins, plastic bags or plastic wrapping cannot be placed into your FOGO bin.

Use your kitchen caddy and roll of 150 compostable caddy liners that Council has provided. 

It's best to keep your kitchen caddy handy as you prepare food so that you can easily place your food scraps into your kitchen caddy. When full, twist your compostable liner closed and put it back into your kitchen caddy. Carry both out to your FOGO bin then open the lid, take the compostable liner out and drop it into your FOGO bin.

We have a series of FOGO instructional videos that cover:

• How to get started and use your FOGO kitchen caddy.
• What can go into your FOGO bin.
• Tips for keeping your kitchen caddy clean and minimising smells. 

Firstly, well done for composting at home. You can keep composting as the FOGO service can complement your existing efforts. You can place certain items into your FOGO bin that some home composting systems can't accept such as cooked foods, meat, bones, dairy and citrus. 

If you don't have a compost bin, we offer a range of discounted composting products through Compost Community. 

It's important to be aware that you cannot place tea bags, clam and oyster shells, animal waste or cat litter into your green lid FOGO bin.

Any food packaging and fruit and vegetable stickers also need to be removed from food and cannot go in your FOGO bin.

The following cannot go in your FOGO bin:

• tea bags
• plastic and biodegradable bags
• gardening items, plastic pots, garden hoses and tools
• animal waste including kitty litter
• clam and oyster shells
• liquids, fats, greases and oils
• soil, rocks or concrete
• vacuum dust
• plastic, glass and metal
• nappies, hygiene products, baby wipes and makeup wipes
• treated or painted timber and building materials
• food packaging, rubber bands, cling wrap, foil, polystyrene and fruit and vegetable stickers.

For further information we have a comprehensive A to Z guide available. 

Unfortunately, tea bags won’t break down in the composting process as some tea bags are made from plastic which cannot be composted. Items like staples and labels also won't break down. Loose tea leaves can go in your FOGO bin. You can cut the tea bag open and place the loose tea leaves into your FOGO bin and place the bag into your garbage bin.

Here are some tips to reduce odours for your green lid FOGO bin:

• place food waste in a compostable liner bag or wrap in newspaper

• try alternating layers of food waste with garden waste, like lawn clippings or dry leaves

• wrap up food waste like prawn shells, seafood and uncooked meat scraps and store them in the freezer until closer to collection day

• store your bins in a shady, flat and well-ventilated area

• rinse your bins occasionally, and always keep the lid closed

• sprinkle some bicarb soda in the bin to neutralize smells

If you live in a residence with shared bins, ask your owner's corporation or manager to contact us.

We will work with them to make sure that your property has the appropriate waste service and bin capacity to meet the Victorian Government's FOGO requirements. 

FOGO is part of the annual waste service charge, outlined on your rates notice.

The cost of sending food waste to landfill is ever-increasing, particularly as the waste levy charge continues to significantly rise each year.

Based on our modelling, the cost of introducing FOGO is offset by the cost savings of sending waste to landfill, meaning it should be cost neutral for rate payers. 

Taking our food waste out of the garbage bin and combining it with garden waste for processing into compost is better for our environment.

Achieving a cost neutral FOGO service in Manningham will be based on diverting between at least 40 per cent and 80 per cent of Manningham’s food waste from landfill. 

Our kerbside food waste collection service doesn’t cater for commercial quantities.

We were disappointed to hear the REDcycle soft plastics collection has stopped especially as soft plastics are a real issue for our environment.

We are continuing to look at ways to support our community avoid waste and improve reuse and recycling. Councils across Victoria have been working with the State Government to advocate for soft plastics processing facilities. Major supermarkets are also working with the State Government to find a long-term solution and there are a few community trials we are watching closely. 

To help you store and carry food waste out to your green lid bin, the FOGO starter kit you recently received has a kitchen caddy and a roll of 150 compostable liners. Your kit will also include an information pack with useful FOGO tips.

Our compostable liners are Australian certified, made from vegetable material and are completely plastic free. These liners completely break down in the composting process.

Our How to get started and use your FOGO kitchen caddy video shows how to open and use these liners. 

Only lime green compostable liners with the certified symbol shown are able to be placed into your FOGO bin.

No, you can use any container to collect your food scraps and take these to your green lid FOGO bin.

You can collect and place food scraps into your green lid bin loose or wrapped in newspaper or paper towel.

Please note you cannot use plastic or biodegradable bags, only compostable liners with the certified compostable symbol are able to be placed into your green lid FOGO bin.

You won’t need a FOGO kitchen caddy to use our FOGO service.

You can use any container to collect your food scraps and take these to your green lid bin.

A roll of 150 compostable liners (approximately one year’s supply) will be available to Manningham households each year. Starting from May 2024, these will be free to collect from our Manningham Civic Centre or Council Depot.

You can also purchase certified compostable liners from major supermarkets, it’s important to remember that only lime green compostable liners with the certified symbol are able to be placed into your FOGO bin.