Research conducted across Victoria shows that food waste makes up more than 40% of rubbish bin contents collected from households.

The introduction of a food and garden organics collection will help to increase the amount of waste we recycle and meet our target for reducing organic waste going to landfill by 50% by 2030.

Diverting organic waste away from landfill reduces the need for landfill space, something that is becoming increasingly scarce in our region.

When organic waste is buried in landfill with other rubbish, it decomposes without oxygen. This produces high levels of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

Instead of placing it in landfill, composting organic waste with regular turning to aerate the materials, reduces the amount of methane produced, and in turn reduces the impact on climate change.

Recycling our organic waste produces compost that can be used to improve soils for food production.

Basically, food and garden organics collections will help create valuable compost, and reduce the environmental impacts of landfill.

Compared to traditional home composting, many more types of food can be included in the FOGO collection. For example:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices)
• Bread, rice and pasta
• Leftovers; spoiled and rotten food
• Solid dairy products (cheese, butter)
• Meat, fish, bones, soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimp, crayfish, lobster)
• Loose coffee grounds and tea leaves
• Eggshells
• Jelly
• Human and animal hair
• Wooden chopsticks, icy pole sticks, toothpicks, skewers
• Garden waste including twigs, branches, leaves, cut flowers, weeds and grass cuttings
• Straw and hay

Around 70% of Yarra Ranges residents currently have a green waste bin (with a lime-green lid).

In October 2023, this bin will become the food and garden organics bin.

Households who do not currently have a green waste bin will receive a new bin before the collections begin.

Each household will also receive a free kitchen caddy (a smaller container to keep in your kitchen to collect food scraps) and an initial supply of biodegradable bags to line the caddy.

Food scraps can be collected in the caddy. Once full, the caddy liner bag can be tied and placed into the FOGO bin, together with the garden waste.

FOGO bins will be collected weekly.

Weekly collection reduces odour and hygiene issues, meaning people are more likely to use the bin correctly.

Research from across Australia where FOGO collections already happen show weekly collections are most effective to divert waste from landfill.

Fortnightly collection of FOGO in some council areas has reduced the number of households using the service by around half due to hygiene concerns.

Yes! Meat and fish are biodegradable and can be composted using the large composting machines that will take our food and garden organics waste.

Meat and fish waste may create odour in bins. If this is the case you may choose to collect your meat and fish waste in a separate bag and place it in the freezer until bin night.

Well done on composting! However, in response to the State Government's policy, every household across Yarra Ranges will be provided with a FOGO bin as part of their standard waste collection.

The State Government’s Recycling Victoria policy states each household in Victoria will have access to a FOGO collection provided by their council by 2030. The collection will be introduced in Yarra Ranges in 2023 to align with the start of our new waste collection contracts.

We appreciate that many residents already compost food waste - a great effort for sustainability! We also know that many residents are not able to compost or cannot compost all of the organic waste they produce, particularly dairy, bread and meat and large quantities of garden waste.

Households who compost can continue to compost at home, but you may choose to use the bin for food items you are unable to compost yourself.

The bin can also be used for garden waste, helping to prepare for fire season and reducing the need to burn off.