Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO)

FOGO stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics. It turns everyday food scraps and garden waste into compost instead of sending it to landfill, helping reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.  

The service starts from January 2027.

From January, your green waste bin can be used for both garden organic waste as well as food waste – allowing you to recycle food scraps and garden waste together.

Once your green waste been collected for the last time in 2026, you can start putting eligible food scraps in your bin.

YES

• Garden waste  
• Fruit and vegetables (including citrus)  
• Meat, seafood, bones and eggshells  
• Dairy products  
• Rice, pasta and bread  
• Coffee grounds and loose tea leaves  
• Leftover or out-of-date food (removed from packaging)  
• Pizza boxes, paper towels, tissues and shredded paper  

NO

Around 57% of Clarence’s general waste collected through our kerbside service is organic material that would be able to go into a FOGO bin.

When food and garden waste goes to landfill it breaks down and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. A FOGO service helps recover this valuable organic material so it can be turned into compost instead. 

Introducing FOGO will: 

• reduce landfill waste  
• lower greenhouse gas emissions  
• recover valuable organic material  
• support a more sustainable future for Clarence. 

No. Your current green waste bin will become your FOGO bin.

You will get a free kitchen caddy to place in your kitchen to help manage your food scraps.

No. You will still put your bin out on the same day. The only change will be how often your FOGO bin is collected. Your FOGO bin (green lid) will now be collected every two weeks instead of only once a month. Your general waste (red lid) and recycling (yellow lid) remain as normal.

The new schedule will look like:

FOGO material is processed into compost and soil products rather than being sent to landfill. This helps divert organic waste from landfill and return nutrients to the soil.

Adding food scraps to your green waste helps to create a more nutrient-rich compost.

Home composting is a great way to reduce food and garden waste, and FOGO is designed to complement home composting, not replace it.

FOGO can accept materials that can be difficult to manage in some home compost systems, including meat, bones, dairy, seafood, citrus and bread. FOGO compliments your composting while also providing an option for larger or seasonal volumes of garden waste.

Food scraps can be placed directly into your kitchen caddy, or you can line the caddy with newspaper, paper towel, a paper bag.

Compostable plastic bags should not be used.

The kitchen caddy is provided as a convenient way to collect food scraps, but you can use whatever method works best for you.

Yes. Unlike many home compost systems, meat, bones, seafood and dairy products, including cheese and yoghurt, can all go into your FOGO bin.

You can also put products containing wheat, rice, or yeast in your FOGO bin, which many people avoid putting in their home compost.

No. Compostable plastic bags are not accepted in the FOGO service. You can use newspaper, paper towel, or paper bags to collect food scraps.

Yes, if you have a current green waste service, the move to a FOGO service has been included in your 2026-27 rates notice sent in July. For 2026-27, you have only been charged for six months of FOGO as the service wasn’t introduced until January. From 2027-28, the fee will be included as part of your waste service charges on your rates notice each year.

Food and garden waste can create smells as it breaks down, particularly during warm weather. You can reduce odours and help prevent maggots and other insects by:

• Layering your FOGO bin: Add lawn clippings, leaves, newspaper or cardboard between layers of food waste. These materials help absorb moisture and reduce odours.
• Keep meat and seafood scraps cold: Store meat and seafood scraps in the freezer until collection day, then place them in your FOGO bin.
• Wrap food scraps: Wrap meat and seafood scraps in newspaper or compostable paper before placing them in the bin.
• Keep the lid closed: A closed lid helps keep insects out and contains odours.
• Keep your bin in the shade: Keeping your bin cool can slow decomposition and reduce smells.
• Rinse your bin regularly: Hosing out your bin after collection helps remove food residue that can cause odours and attract insects.
• Put your bin out every collection day: Even if it isn’t full, regular collection helps prevent food waste from sitting in the bin for too long.
• Sprinkle a little bicarbonate of soda into the bin.

Maggots can occur in any bin containing food waste, particularly during warm weather. Following these steps can help reduce the likelihood of maggots and keep your bin fresher.

Keeping unwanted materials out of your FOGO bin helps us produce a higher-quality end product.

We’ll provide clear information and support to help households understand what can and can’t go in the bin. You don’t need to be a FOGO expert from day one.

If you have a question about the new FOGO service which we haven’t answered above, please contact our Waste and Sustainability team by emailing clarence@ccc.tas.gov.au or calling us on 6217 9500.

You can also submit a waste enquiry here: Waste enquiry online form