What Does FOGO Mean?

FOGO stands for Food Organics Garden Organics and refers to the collection of food scraps, as well as natural material from your garden to create high quality compost. A handy way to think about FOGO is ‘If it didn’t grow, or it wasn’t alive - it’s not FOGO’.

Why do we need the FOGO System?

Under the State Government's new State Waste Strategy, all Local Governments will need to move to a three bin system by 2025.

The system has been successfully trialled in the City of Melville as part of a joint project between the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council, Cities of Fremantle, Melville and the Town of East Fremantle.

 While 3-bin FOGO systems have been implemented in a range of councils across Australia and several councils in the state’s south west, all other 3-bin systems in the Perth Metropolitan area previously only offered residents a third bin for Garden Waste (GO), excluding valuable, nutrient rich food waste. A FOGO bin will have a large impact in diverting our waste from landfill.

What is my new bin service?

If you have the two-bin system, your household will now have three separate bins: one for general rubbish, a FOGO bin for organic waste and a recycling bin.

You will receive a brand new 240 litre lime green-lidded FOGO bin, for all food organics (raw and cooked), meat, bones and garden organics as well as animal waste. This bin is turned into high-quality compost and collected weekly.

No change will occur to your yellow-lidded recycling bin; however, it will now be collected fortnightly instead of weekly. If you found that you don’t have enough room in your bins, please contact the Town on 9339 9339 to discuss what options may be available.

You will receive a new 140 litre red-topped rubbish bin for general rubbish items that can’t be recycled or turned into compost, this bin is sent to landfill and collected on the alternative fortnight to your yellow-topped recycling bin. If you found your household is struggling with capacity issues, contact the council to see if a solution can be provided to you.

Your old General Waste Bin will be taken away to be reused or recycled into a new bin.

You will be provided with a kitchen caddy, the caddy will be attached to your lime green-topped FOGO bin when the rollout occurs. Inside the kitchen caddy will be information to help you use your new bins as well as compostable liners to help you separate your food scraps in the kitchen.

Will the Town be imposing any additional charges for this new system?

• The roll out of the 3 bin FOGO system is funded by the Better Bins Program a State Government program, which provides funding to local governments to achieve increased separation and recovery of waste.
• There will be no additional charge to resident.

What can I put in each bin?

Lime-green lidded FOGO bin (WEEKLY): All food organics including raw and cooked meat, bread, dairy, bones, shells, and garden organics. This bin will be composted so it’s important to keep plastic and glass out of this bin. All food waste is to go into your FOGO bin either in a compostable liner, wrapped in newspaper or loose in the bin. Please make sure food is removed from packaging before being placed in the bin as any plastic packaging can contaminate the compost.

You can also place pet droppings and kitty litter either straight into the bin or in a compostable liner, however biodegradable plastic liners are not to go into your FOGO bin; only compostable liners as they will break down naturally in the composting process.

Remember, cardboard, shredded paper and newspaper can also go in the FOGO bin. 

Yellow lidded recycling bin (FORTNIGHTLY): Recyclable materials including:

• Paper (excluding shredded paper)
• Cardboard (flattened)
• Glass (clean and empty)
• Plastic containers and plastic bottles (clean and empty)
• Aluminium cans (clean and empty)
• Steel cans (clean and empty).

All items should be clean, dry and empty with lids removed and placed in the bin loosely.

The following items should not be placed into your yellow-topped recycling bin: 

• Plastic bags and plastic film
• Nappies
• Meat trays and polystyrene
• Clothes and textiles
• Garden and food waste
• Gas bottles and aerosol cans
• Electronic waste and batteries
• Ropes, cables and hose
• Materials in bags

Red lidded rubbish bin (FORTNIGHTLY): General rubbish items that cannot be composted or recycled, such as nappies, polystyrene, plastic bags and soft plastics.

If you would like to recycle plastic bags and soft plastics:

• Please take all soft plastics (except cling wrap) to REDcycle bins in major supermarkets (Woolworths and Coles). These will be recycled into park equipment, bollards and other items.

Refer to the 3-bin guide delivered with your bins, as well as your collection calendar.

For a full A-Z list of which bin to put it in, visit www.recycleright.wa.gov.au.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email us on admin@eastfremantle.wa.gov.au or call on (08) 9339 9339

What will the FOGO system look like?

If you currently have the two-bin system, your household will soon have three separate bins: one for general rubbish, a FOGO bin for organic waste and a recycling bin.

At this stage the FOGO service will not be rolled out to commercial businesses or multiunit developments or premises which have alternative waste management systems other than that provided by the Council.

What is the difference between compostable bags and plastic bags?

Compostable = degrades in a natural biological process producing only carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, with no visible or distinguishable toxic residue. Unlike plastic bags compostable liners are made of organic fibers from corn and wheat, which break down much quicker than degradable and plastic bags. Other options to use in your FOGO bin other than compostable liners include newspaper or simply having your food waste loose in the FOGO bin.

Biodegradable - The term biodegradable doesn’t mean anything because everything is biodegradable eventually. The problem is, in Australia regular plastic bags are being labelled ‘Biodegradable’. This misleads consumers to think these bags are made from plant matter and will return to nature which isn’t always the case. Unlike Australia in other countries there is legislation to prevent the term “biodegradable” being used on products that do not break down naturally into the environment.

‘Degradable and OXO Degradable bags’ are made from normal plastic and have an ingredient which makes them break down faster. Plastic and degradable bags are made of petroleum and do not break down into organic material, instead they break down into smaller particles of plastic.

Can I use plastic bags/liners in my new bins?

FOGO Bin?

• No, plastic bags cannot be used in the FOGO bin as they do not break down and instead become tiny micro plastics which heavily contaminate the final compost.
• All food waste is to go into your FOGO bin either in a compostable liner, wrapped in newspaper or loose in the bin.

Recycling Bin

• No, recyclables must be loose in bin, plastic bags and liners contaminate the recycling process and are a risk to staff when sorting waste. Tied bags go straight to landfill as they are a health hazard to staff hand sorting waste e.g. needles and glass.

General Waste Bin

• Yes you can line your new general waste bin with plastic liners and bin bags. Please make sure all food scraps go into your FOGO bin in compostable liners.
• Plastic bags can only go in your General Waste bin. However, if you would like to recycle plastic bags and soft plastics, you can take all soft plastics (except cling wrap) to REDcycle bins in major supermarkets (Woolworths and Coles). These will be recycled into park equipment, bollards and other items.

Where do I get more compostable liners for my kitchen caddy?

If you run out of compostable liners please get in contact with the Town of East Fremantle on (08) 9339 9339.  The rolls provided have been estimated to last you for up to 10 months.

Remember, you can also purchase them from Woolworths, Coles or Bunnings, or online at compostapak but they must be compostable -
check for the compostable standard logo (below) - Certified to Australian Commercial Composting Standard (AS4736-ABAP10019)

 

I already have a compost system at home, do I still need a FOGO bin?

We encourage you to continue to compost at home, however you can use your lime green lid FOGO bin for things you can’t put in your home compost bin, like bones, meat and seafood. You can also use your FOGO bin for animal waste and kitty litter.

The 3-bin FOGO system is the WA Waste Authority’s preferred kerbside collection system as it is considered the most suitable for achieving the State Government target of 65% diversion from landfill by 2020.

If you find that you do not using the FOGO bin you can contact us and we will look into a solution for you.

Bin Checks

From time to time bin checks will be undertaken to help residents settle in to the new system and help reduce confusion about what to put in each bin.

• Audits of the 3 bin program have previously been a great success in other local governments such as Melville, Cockburn and Kwinana.
• The audits have helped by giving feedback to residents and reduced confusion during the transition from the 2 bin system to the 3 bin system.
• Audits also help in reducing contamination of bins i.e. rubbish and food in the recycle bin, plastic liners in the kitchen caddy etc.
• There will not be any fines given through the program as the focus of the audits is education - bin checks are part of the education program.
• The Audits will be undertaken by staff from the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) as well as staff from the Town of East Fremantle.

FOGO Fact Sheets

FOGO Fact Sheet No. 1

FOGO Fact Sheet No. 2