What are we asking for?
Support to investigate, and if feasible, implement a national bin harmonization program that will improve kerbside recycling, reduce contamination, and maximise opportunities for reuse.
Why is it important?
Through the National Waste Policy Action Plan, states and territories have agreed to introduce FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) collection services to all households and businesses by the end of 2023, with the Federal Government funding reprocessing infrastructure.
Currently, only 30 per cent of Australians have access to a full FOGO collection service, while over 70 per cent have access to a garden collection service.
National harmonisation of waste collections will drive greater waste minimisation, lead to cleaner waste streams and more efficient resource recovery while also protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emission.
However, implementing a standardised bin collection service will be potentially costly for local governments, and more support from state and federal governments will be needed to ensure waste collection charges do not rise as a result of councils providing more bins.
How would it support our communities?
Randwick City Council was able to divert 14,000 tonnes of food and garden organics (FOGO) from landfill in the first 12 months of operation after implementing FOGO bins in March 2021. This new waste stream is being processed into compost.
In that time, the amount of waste in red lid rubbish bins has been reduced by 26 percent, slashing the amount of garbage sent to landfill.
Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said the way Randwick City residents have embraced FOGO shows that people want to be part of the solution to our waste problem.
“People don’t want to see material sent to landfill when there are perfectly good solutions for reusing material in new ways.”
“With Federal Government funding, FOGO could be rolled out nationally, providing the stimulus needed to create a viable reuse economy generating jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, saving landfill and also producing a viable compost product that could be sold.”
