If it used to live or grow, it’s FOGO!

The new 240 litre FOGO bins will be delivered to properties with an existing kerbside service between late April and mid June, with the new weekly collection service beginning the week starting 6 July.

Each household will receive:

• One 240L green lidded FOGO bin

• A 7L kitchen caddy for collecting food scraps

• A year’s supply of compostable caddy liners

• Information on how to use the service, including a bin collection calendar

The FOGO bin accepts food scraps and garden cuttings, including items that typically cannot be composted at home, such as meat, bones, seafood, citrus and dairy products. Collected material will be transported to a specialist facility and transformed into high quality soil conditioner.

From July 6, red-lidded landfill bins will move to a fortnightly collection schedule, alternating weeks with recycling. Residents’ bin days will remain the same. Council’s Fire Ready Green Waste Disposal program will still be provided at transfer stations in 2026.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Cindy Madeley said the introduction of FOGO is an important step toward diverting organic material from landfill, recovering a valuable resource, reducing landfill costs over time and meeting Victorian Government legislation.

She added the FOGO bin provides 240L extra capacity, so there is no reduction in service.

“In Wellington Shire, more than half of the average household landfill bin is made up of food and garden waste, and a further 15 per cent is items that belong in the recycling bin,” Cr Madeley said.

“That’s why it’s so important each household sorts their waste efficiently to get the best use out of their bins.

“By separating these materials, we can significantly reduce landfill, cut greenhouse gas emissions and turn everyday food scraps into valuable compost that can be used on farms, parks and gardens.

“Sending waste to landfill is expensive and those costs are increased by the EPA each year. Over time, it will be more expensive to continue weekly collection of landfill bins. By removing food waste from the landfill bin, we can also extend the life of our existing landfill cells and reduce methane emissions.”

The introduction of FOGO is part of the Victorian Government’s move to standardise household recycling across the state under the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021. It will be a standard, non optional kerbside service within Council’s waste collection areas.

From July 1, all properties with kerbside bin services must have a standard service, which consists of a FOGO bin, landfill bin, recycling bin, kitchen caddy and an annual hard waste collection.

Council acknowledges the introduction of FOGO and changes to bin habits may be a significant adjustment for some households and businesses within Wellington Shire. Further to the standard kerbside service, Council will be introducing the option for property owners to request additional bins, subject to extra cost, to address capacity requirements.

To request optional additional bins, click here to submit an order request. Orders placed before Friday 1 May will be delivered in late June.

For more information about what goes in the FOGO bin, what stays out, and how the new service will work, click here or phone 1300 366 244.