Why is FOGO so good?

Approximately half of the waste collected by weight in Meander Valley’s kerbside bins is made up of organic food and garden waste. A further 15 percent is made up of recyclables that were put in the wrong bin. By diverting these products away from landfill we can reduce the environmental and cost impacts of waste management and improve Meander Valley’s sustainability.

When organic material is left to breakdown in landfill, it produces great volumes of greenhouse gas. By sorting organic wastes out of our general waste, we can turn these products into rich compost to improve the structure of soils, increase water retention and soil carbon.

The food and garden organic waste collected from Blackstone Heights, Prospect Vale, Travellers Rest and Hadspen reduces the amount of waste going to landfill by up to 1,200 tonnes every year.

What happens to FOGO?

The FOGO collected is taken to the regional composting facility at Mowbray. There, it is checked for contamination before undergoing a combination of static and air-forced composting processes. This ensures the material reaches a high temperature so weeds, seeds and pathogens are killed and the resulting composted product is safe to use on parks and gardens.

Using your kitchen caddy - no bags please

The kitchen caddy is a counter-top style bin with a lid and handle to keep on your kitchen bench for collecting your food scraps.

Bags of any kind are currently unable to be processed at the FOGO composting facility. Once a truckload of FOGO is unloaded, it is impossible for facility workers to open individual bags to check for contamination. Also, many so-called compostable bags or caddy liners on supermarket shelves are not truly compostable.

Make your own caddy liner

Use paper towel or newspaper to line your caddy or dry material like leaves or shredded paper to help prevent food scraps from sticking.

Click here for instructions on how to fold your own, simple newspaper caddy liner.

Will my kitchen caddy or bin smell?

Not if you follow a few handy tips:

• Keep your kitchen caddy out of direct sunlight and your bin in a shaded area if possible.
• Don't let raw meat or other very smelly items such as seafood sit in the caddy for too long. Dispose of them in your FOGO bin or freeze them until your FOGO collection day.
• Wrap food scraps in paper towel or newspaper.
• Give your caddy a wipe down or a wash occasionally. Your caddy is also dishwasher safe.
• When possible, layer your food waste with garden waste such as lawn clippings and leaf litter.
• Use a sprinkling of bicarbonate of soda to deodorise your bin.
• Rinse your bin when empty and let it dry out completely.
• Remember to put your FOGO bin out for collection, even if it's not completely full.

Making sure the truck can empty your FOGO bin

The mechanical arm on the collection vehicle cannot lift bins over 80kg and, when heavily compacted, some organic material can stick to the inside of your bin, preventing complete emptying of contents.

Follow these tips to make sure your FOGO bin can be emptied first time, every time:

• Do not overfill your FOGO bin. Overflowing bins or bins that are too heavy cannot be collected.
• Mow lawns when they are dry (wet grass clippings are heavy and can stick to the sides of the bin).
• Shake soil off weeds and unwanted plants.
• Don't place long branches, sticks twigs or timber in your FOGO bin as they may obstruct emptying.
• Layer your organic material to avoid compaction.
• Where possible, place a layer of cardboard or dry garden waste like leaves in the bottom of your bin to prevent material sticking to the base.

How do I FOGO?

What if I put the wrong items in my FOGO bin, or I am unsure?

If you accidentally dispose of something that should not go in your FOGO bin, please carefully retrieve it and place it in the correct bin. The contents of your FOGO bin will be turned into composted material and used on parks and gardens. When contamination is placed in your FOGO bin it can spread throughout the organic material, which means it cannot be used and must be sent to landfill.

Unsure? If in doubt please leave it out or contact Council on 6393 5300 to check.

What if I need more room for my general waste?

Residents who have embraced FOGO find that once they get the hang of sorting their FOGO and general waste, they don't need a larger or extra waste bin after all. Should you find that a larger or extra waste bin is required, you can upgrade to a larger bin or add an extra bin for an additional cost.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Please contact Council's customer service team on 6393 5300 or waste@mvc.tas.gov.au.