As we all strive for a greener, more sustainable future, significant changes are afoot that will affect millions of Australians. The state of New South Wales, known for its iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, is now leading the charge in waste management reform with the introduction of mandatory FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) collection services. This landmark legislation is set to revolutionise the way we dispose of our organic waste, and it’s crucial that everyone is aware and prepared for the shift.
In the face of mounting waste disposal challenges, NSW has taken a bold step to combat the issue head-on. With landfills nearing capacity and the clock ticking towards a potential crisis by 2030, the state government has enacted new rules that will see the widespread implementation of FOGO bins across households and businesses alike.
The statistics are staggering: Australia produces approximately 75 million tonnes of waste annually, and a significant portion of this ends up in landfills. In NSW alone, the pressure on landfill sites is becoming untenable, with some areas on the brink of reaching their limits within this decade.
The FOGO system is designed to divert one million tonnes of food and garden scraps from landfills each year, transforming this organic matter into valuable compost. This compost will then be used to enrich parks, sports fields, and agricultural lands, creating a circular economy that benefits the environment and the community.
By July 2030, all households in NSW will be required to have a FOGO bin, but businesses and institutions are on a tighter schedule, with a compliance deadline of July 2026. This means that supermarkets, pubs, cafes, universities, schools, hotels, and hospitals will soon be part of a greener waste management system.
Currently, less than half of NSW’s 128 councils offer FOGO bins, but with the majority of inner-city councils now on board, about 69% of households have access to this composting option. The NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that Sydney and surrounding areas could run out of landfill space by 2030, making it imperative to increase recycling rates and divert food waste from landfills.
Food waste accounts for as much as 40% of our regular bin contents, and when it ends up in landfills, it contributes to methane production—a potent greenhouse gas. By mandating FOGO bins, NSW aims to significantly reduce this environmental impact.
The path to mandatory FOGO has not been smooth. In 2022, councils were caught off guard by new EPA regulations regarding green bin contents. Additionally, there have been calls for the public to adhere more strictly to the rules after various non-organic items, including a deceased pet dog and even a grenade, were found in the waste stream.
NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe has acknowledged the state’s long-standing landfill capacity issues, stating that action can no longer be postponed. The new FOGO laws position NSW as a national leader in tackling food waste, making it the first state to mandate this recycling initiative statewide.
To support this transition, the NSW government has allocated $81 million to assist councils in adopting FOGO by 2030. This funding will provide bins, kitchen caddies, liners, contamination audits, community education programs, and staffing.
Moreover, large supermarkets will now be required to report the quantity and type of surplus food donated to charities such as OzHarvest, Second Bite, and Foodbank, ensuring that edible food is not wasted but instead helps those in need.
What are your thoughts on the FOGO bin rollout? Are you prepared for the changes coming by 2030, or do you have concerns about the new system? How do you feel about the impact on businesses and households alike? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!
Also read: When NSW’s organic waste law kicks in: Suburbs face a stinky surprise
Another ridiculous imposition.
We have had this for ages in Victoria.
While the competing of all the organic waste is very sensible, there is another ting the NSW government wants and I’m sure it will rough-shod over all local people who object to it. The government is pushing for the construction of massive so called “waste to energy” incinerators 4 regional areas. The government considered them as too dangerous for Sydney but apparently they think they are not too dangerous for rural people -in other words, there are less of us to object, less of us to be seriously affected due to the waste products from them – toxic water that will contaminate the environment – contaminate the air, water, soils, agriculture and livestock products.
These incinerators are nothing but toxic waste production incinerators. They have bad records overseas. They produce less energy than they consume. The only advantages in them is that they get rid of Sydney’s garbage and provide enormous profits for businesses such as Veolia. And this business has a bad record at Tarago where it can’t even abide by the rules that it should follow – there are vast numbers of complaints about its emissions of noxious odours every year. The fines imposed upon Veolia by the EPA (eg $30K) this week are insufficient to persuade it to obey the rules for its operation. Life hires might lie to carry out it’s own inquiries into this side of the garbage problem.
Sorry for the typos resulting in those annoying computer generated corrections.- eg “competing” should have been “composting” in my post.
In Kalamunda WA, we have recently had our bins changed. Our general waste bin is half the size and only emptied every fortnight, so we have had to reduce waste by 75%, RIDICULOUS. Whilst we have a new bin(FOGO), which is great if you are pruning every week, but 9 times out of 10 we only have a small amount of food waste. So a lot of residents are having to put their general waste in the FOGO bin.
Ridiculous system at Banyule City Council in Victoria, where rubbish is only collected fortnightly. This has resulted in illegal dumping on our property. But the council considers thus issue not their problem.
Idiots who should concentrate on roads, rates and rubbish have abandoned their remit.