Food scraps and garden waste are both high in nutrients and minerals that can be recycled.

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) is a kerbside collection service that allows food to be added to the green lid garden waste bin so it can be recycled into top quality compost, just as your garden waste has always been.

FOGO allow us to divert food waste from landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use the waste to create compost that can be used in farms, parks, sports fields or even in our own gardens. By 2030, all councils in NSW will provide a FOGO collection service, in accordance with the state government initiatives.

FOGO trials will capture information and help council prepare for the smooth delivery of the service across Cumberland.

If you sign up, Council will contact you to inform you of your participation. You will be provided with all the necessary information and kit to participate in the trial.

At the end of the trial, you will be invited to provide feedback and Have Your Say on your experience. This will inform delivery of the next stage of FOGO.

Please note: If you do not sign up for a trial, your service does not change, and no action is required.

Participants of the trials will be requested to present red and yellow bins as usual. During the first few weeks, there is no change to green bin use.

During the next 4 weeks, participating residents will be invited to collect food scraps from the kitchen, place food scraps in a lined kitchen caddy (provided), then empty the caddy into their green garden waste bin, along with regular garden waste each week. Participants should then be presenting green bins on the kerbside for collection each week. At the end of the 7 week period, service and use of green bins by participating households returns to normal.

Council will audit the contents of red and green bins from participating households. The bin audit is completely anonymous and we will not record private information from each bin.