LET'S GO FOGO
For all queries about FOGO please phone the Town on:
2020-21 Waste Collection Calendar
For a Print Friendly Version Waste Calendar
Public Holiday Bin Services
No Waste Collection on the following public holidays, collection will take place on the following day.
- Friday December 25th - Collected on Saturday 26th December
- Friday January 1st Collected on Saturday 2nd January
- Friday 2nd April Collected on Saturday 3rd April
THE FOGO BIN
Lime-green lidded FOGO bin (Collected 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.
For a full A-Z on what goes in each bin A-Z Waste Guide
Why did the Town move to FOGO?
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’.
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 Goes in the FOGO bin?
For a Print Friendly Version FOGO Flyer
Where Can I Get Compostable Liners?
For more information on Compostable liners Click Here
For buying liners online from Compostapak Click Here
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.
FOGO Processing
Can I Use Plastic Liners/Bags in my 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.
How to Line your FOGO Caddy with Newspaper
THE RECYCLING 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.
For a full A-Z on what goes in each bin Click Here
What Goes in the Recycling Bin?
For a Print Friendly Version Click Here
What Does Not Go in the Recycling Bin
For all local governments in the Perth Metropolitan Area, there have been changes regarding what can and can’t be recycled in your yellow lid bin.
These changes are part of an effort to reduce contamination and make recycling easier for everyone.
A clear and consistent list of items that go into your kerbside recycling bin will lead to cost effective and improved recycling outcomes for Western Australia.
For a full A-Z on what goes in each bin Click Here
THE GENERAL WASTE BIN
Red lidded General Waste bin (FORTNIGHTLY):
Your General Waste Bin is for:
- Nappies and hygiene products
- Soft plastics and packaging (bread bags, chip packets, lolly wrappers)
- Polystyrene
- All meat trays
- All coffee cups and coffee pods
- Long life cartons (tetrapaks)
For a full A-Z on what goes in each bin Click Here
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).
What Goes in the General Waste Bin
For a Print Friendly Version Click Here
What Does Not Go in the General Waste Bin?
HARD TO RECYCLE ITEMS
Some items can be hard to recycle or may contain harmful or dangerous chemicals that cause fires and explosions in
waste trucks.
Special Drop Off Items
For a full A-Z on what goes in each bin Click Here
The Town Hall, 135 Canning Highway has a special collection drop off point for hard to recycle items:
• Batteries
• Mobile Phones
• Ink Cartridges
• Plastic Bottle Caps
• Pens
COMPUTERS AND IT
For recycling of old computer equipment including desktops, notebooks, servers, monitors, printers and other items, contact:
- Fremantle Recycle Centre 1300 693 736
- Secure computer recycling and disposal 9467 4624
(fees may apply)
- Technology Assisting Disability WA Inc 9379 7400
(free service and accepts monitors)
- Henderson Waste Recovery Park 9411 3444
(fees may apply)
X-RAYS
- Town of Cambridge Administration, 1 Bold Park Drive, Floreat 9347 6000
- Town of Cambridge Library, 99 The Boulevard, Floreat 9383 8999
- WMRC 2/317 Churchill Avenue, Subiaco 9384 4003
SOLAR PANELS
- Total Green Recycling 16-30 Sheffield Road, Welshpool 9258 6009
- Fremantle Recycling Centre 1300 693 736
MATTRESSES
CLOTHING AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
- Fremantle Recycle Centre
- Can also be donated to charity, for more information visit GIV.org.au
MEDICAL WASTE
- Medical or biohazardous waste should never be put in any bin.
- Please check with your health care provider as to the correct method for disposal or visit Health Engine
Bin Tagging
The Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) is implementing a bin audit and education program on behalf of the Town, as part of the rollout of the new 3-bin FOGO system. The tagging program will be implemented in the City of Melville, City of Fremantle and Town of East Fremantle. The program is aimed at educating residents about how to use the new system and providing them with individual feedback to improve their efforts at home. The program will focus on education rather than enforcement. Click here for further information