Become a Pro at FOGO - What goes in your green lid bin

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What is FOGO?

FOGO is a combined Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) food recycling service that turns your green lid bin contents into compost for farmers. Your green lid bin accepts all food scraps including meats, dairy and bones with your regular household garden organics.

The importance of FOGO

Food organics and garden organics (FOGO) are a beneficial resource if collected and processed appropriately.  Keeping food and garden organics out of your red bin extends the life of landfills and reduces their greenhouse gas generation. When FOGO waste is collected separately, it is turned into quality compost to be used in farms, parks, and sports fields.

FOGO has enormous environmental benefits and helps maintain our beautiful suburbs, parks, and reserves for everyone to enjoy.

Who would have thought that one small change - putting your food waste in the FOGO bin instead of your red bin – could have such a big impact!

What can I put in my green lid FOGO bin?

What can go in:

  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Meat and bones
  • Eggs and dairy
  • Seafood
  • Pasta, bread, rice, cereal etc
  • Food scraps
  • Coffee grounds and loose tea leaves
  • Grass clippings, garden pruning, leaves, flowers, plants and weeds.

What cannot go in:

  • Food packaging
  • Rubber bands
  • Plastic wrap (even if it is labelled compostable or biodegradable)
  • Meat trays
  • Foil
  • Polystyrene
  • Fruit and vegetable stickers
  • Plastic bags
  • Liquids, fats, greases and oils
  • Tea bags
  • Vacuum dust
  • Broken glass
  • Pet poo
  • Nappies
  • Hygiene products
  • Gardening items, plastic pots, treated or painted timber, rocks, soil or branches thicker than your arm.

And don’t forget to empty out packaged food into FOGO and dispose of the packaging in the appropriate bin.

What are the benefits of FOGO-derived compost?

  • Reduces amount of organic waste going to landfill
  • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
  • Helps tackle climate change impacts by reducing water usage and increasing productivity of soils where used
  • Manufactured to be safe, effective, and weed-free
  • Manufactured and sourced locally, supporting local jobs
  • Saves space in your red bin.

Helpful tips for your FOGO caddy and green lid FOGO bin

Tips to help minimise flies and rodents

Overripe, rotting or decayed fruit and vegetables can attract fruit flies and other insects to your caddy or green waste bin. Here are some more tips to stop insects and rodents from becoming a problem:

  • If you have ripened fruit or vegetables, eat these first or put them in the fridge until you can use them.
  • Clean up any spills or mess around your caddy or green waste bin.
  • Freeze rotten food in a separate container and put in your green waste bin the night before collection.
  • Spray lavender or mint around the base of your green waste bin - rats and mice don’t like this smell.

Tips to minimise smells

  • Regularly empty caddy
  • Keep the lids closed and wash bins regularly
  • Keep your bin in a shaded area

 

 

Want to know more about FOGO?

Visit the NSW Environment Protection Authority for more resources and to see how organic waste is processed into compost.

Food Organics and Garden Organics - NSW EPA 

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