Food waste soon to be accepted in green bins

Published on 20 November 2019

Maribyrnong residents will soon be able to add food scraps to their green bins, with the Victorian Government providing $472,500 to Council in order to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

Announced by Katie Hall, Member for Footscray today, the funding will support Council’s ‘Let’s Go FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics)’ program which will be rolled out over the next two years.

Stage one of the program, which is expected to kick off in May 2020, will enable residents to include food waste in their existing green waste bins. While later stages will see 21,000 single-dwellings across the municipality receive a green waste bin for food and garden waste.

Approximately 48% of the waste in the average household landfill bin in Maribyrnong is made up of food and organic waste. When this material is sent to landfill, it decomposes to produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Removing food waste and garden waste from landfill is the single most effective way that Council can reduce our carbon emissions from waste quickly. Every kilogram of food waste that is composted rather than sent to landfill, is another kilogram that does not become methane.

In the development of Council’s Towards Zero Waste Strategy, consultation with the community revealed that introducing food waste into the green bin was voted the most popular idea by community members.

Residents will receive information packs and kitchen caddies prior to the official launch of ‘Let’s Go FOGO’ in early 2020.

The funding provided by the Victorian Government and administered by Sustainability Victoria will be matched by Council and used to offset the initial costs of the roll out.

A word from the Mayor, Cr Sarah Carter:

“This funding is most welcome, and we know our community is very supportive of ways they can reduce food waste going to landfill.

“I look forward to seeing a reduced amount of food waste going to landfill and being greatly reduced and as a result reaping the benefits locally and contributing globally to improved environmental outcomes.”

Maribyrnong News

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by subscribing to our eNews.