Initially, the FOGO service will only be available properties without shared bins. Best practice guidelines for introducing FOGO suggest a multi-stage process, whereby FOGO is implemented in single unit dwellings first (eg. houses) so that lessons learnt can be applied to multi-unit dwellings (eg. apartments).

As the name suggests, all food and garden organics can go in the lime green-lidded FOGO bin.

All food organics including:

• Vegetable and fruit scraps
• Meat and bones
• Seafood
• Eggshells
• Teabags and coffee grinds
• Dairy products
• Take away food (no containers)
• Any food that has expired or is mouldy

Garden waste: 

• Grass clippings
• Pruning, cuttings, trimmings
• Twigs and sticks
• Palm fronds
• Weeds

It is important that you continue to only put garden organics in your lime green-lidded GO bin until FOGO is officially rolled out.

GO stands for Garden Organics, while FOGO stands for Food Organics Garden Organics.

GO bins are only used for lawn clippings and garden vegetation. These materials are currently mulched and available to residents for free from the West Metro Recycling Centre.

FOGO bins can accept garden organics, as well as food scraps. These materials combined will be taken to a FOGO processing location to be composted into Australian Certified compost.

Free mulch will still be available to residents of WMRC Member Councils.

Moving to a three-bin FOGO system has many benefits for our environment, including:

Reduction in landfill: Transitioning to FOGO removes all food waste from the red-lidded general waste bin and keeps it out of landfill. The WA State Government has set a target for 70% of waste to be diverted from landfill by 2025 and FOGO will help us all to meet this target.

Using organic waste: Organic waste is a problem in landfill as it produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Turning organic waste into compost will reduce the impact on the environment and return valuable nutrients to the soil.

FOGO stands for Food Organics Garden Organics.

Residents will be able to place their food waste into their existing lime-green lidded bin, which will now be their FOGO bin. The FOGO bin will reduce the amount of waste the Town sends to landfill or energy recovery.

The contents from the FOGO bin will be turned into high-quality compost. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have a positive impact on our environment.

Under the State Government’s Waste Strategy, all metropolitan councils will need to introduce the new three-bin FOGO system by 2025.

Households going FOGO will receive a lime green-lidded FOGO bin, meaning City of Subiaco residents will be using a three-bin FOGO system.

This transition allows you to add food scraps and garden vegetation to your new lime-green lidded bin. Participating households will also receive a kitchen caddy and liners to hold food scraps until they are tipped in the FOGO bin. If you don’t receive a caddy, your property is not eligible for FOGO yet.

Your lime green-lidded FOGO bin will be collected weekly.

Your red-lidded general waste bin and yellow-lidded recycling bin will be collected on alternating weeks.

No, please don’t put food scraps in your green-lidded bin until FOGO is officially introduced in your council area. Currently, your green-lidded bin is for garden organics (GO) only. Adding food scraps to greenwaste destined for mulch causes contamination and reduces what can be mulched. Please only put garden vegetation and lawn clippings in your Garden Organics (GO) bin for now. Click here for more info on what goes in your GO bin.

Best practice guidelines for introducing FOGO suggests a multi-stage process, whereby FOGO is implemented in single unit dwellings first (eg. houses) so that lessons learnt can be applied to multi-unit dwellings (eg. apartments).

When FOGO officially commences in your area, you will be able to put food scraps, some greasy paper products in your new lime green-lidded bin along with your existing greenwaste collected currently through greenwaste bags. You will receive a full list of what can / cannot go in your FOGO bin when FOGO gets rolled out in your council.

• Collecting both food organics as well as garden organics means that our processors can make compost for growing more food.  When trapped in landfill, FOGO produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that harms the atmosphere and environment.
• Landfilling FOGO is a waste of a valuable source of nutrients for our soils.
• Composting FOGO is better for the environment because it reduces methane production and recovers and returns valuable nutrients to the soil in the form of compost.
• The WA State Government also requires all local governments in Perth and Peel to move to FOGO by 2025. Click for more information about State and Federal targets for waste diversion and resource recovery.