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Why FOGO

In December 2018, Vincent Council gave in-principle support for a third food organic and garden organic (FOGO) bin collection. At the 5 March 2019 Council Meeting, a business case was approved for a three bin FOGO collection system, with a proposed date of implementation of October 2020. The business case looked at implementation, benefits, costs and the communications and consultation required before a third bin can be introduced.

The business case for FOGO came shortly after the State Government released their new Waste Strategy, with a three bin Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) system for all local governments by 2025 as its centrepiece. An estimated seven Councils in the Perth and Peel region have also approved or are close to approving the adoption of a FOGO system.

To learn more about the three bin system launching late October visit:

What the FOGO?

FOGO 2019 Consultation

From August - September 2019, we surveyed residents about our plan to switch to a third Organics (FOGO) bin, to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

We heard from over 700 residents which is a fantastic outcome. We identified potential issues and community sentiment around FOGO to help us ensure the transition next year is as smooth as possible.

Click below to find out what we heard from our community during the consultation.

Consultation findings

Overview

Here's a snapshot of how our community is feeling about FOGO.

  • 50% of respondents were aware the City is moving to FOGO
  • 86% of respondents supported the City's plan to move to FOGO
  • 44% had concerns about the 3 bin FOGO system

Main concerns

The three main concerns that we heard from residents were lack of space (13%), incorrect use of bins (11%) and concerns over frequency of collections (11%). 

Lack of Space

Over the next few months and prior to the 3 bin rollout, the City will look into different bin options to find a solution that is suitable for as many households as possible. We understand that not all households are the same, so if you find that you have issues with the size or capacity of any of your bins once the new FOGO service commences, please contact the City and a waste education officer will be able to help.

Incorrect use of bins

To help all members of the community understand how to use the new 3 bin FOGO system, the City is developing a comprehensive communications and engagement strategy which includes workshops and engagement sessions, information materials, waste guides, bin stickers and much more.

Collection frequency

The new FOGO system will have a collection schedule as follows:

  •  Lime green lidded FOGO bin (240L) - collected weekly
  •  Yellow lidded recycling bin (240L) - collected fortnightly
  •  Red lidded general waste bin (140L) - collected fortnightly

City of Vincent waste audits conducted in 2018 showed the following breakdown of contents in a typical general waste kerbside bin:

  •  55% food and garden organics
  •  14% recyclables
  •  31% general waste

The shift to a 3 bin system will move all the organic material from the general bin to the FOGO bin. As the majority of your waste will be composted through the FOGO bin or recycled through the yellow lid bin, general waste collections will move to fortnightly under the new system.

There are no plans to increase the collection frequency of the yellow recycling bin, as this would incur significant costs. However, the City does offer a larger 360L recycling bin for a small extra charge per year. Please speak with our waste team on 9273 6000 or mail@vincent.wa.gov.au if you are interested.

Current waste behaviours

During the consultation, we put residents to the test by asking them to sort particular items of waste into general waste (dark green lid), recycling (yellow lid) or neither bin.

The results were good, with many residents sorting the majority of items correctly. However there were some common mistakes, which highlight misconceptions and areas that need to be worked on.

ITEM COMMON MISTAKES CORRECT SORTING
Non-rinsed bottle/container 48% incorrectly sorted non-rinsed containers into the recycling bin Recyclables should be clean, empty and dry. If bottles or containers are not emptied and rinsed, they should be placed in the general waste bin.
Plastic bags & soft plastics 23% incorrectly sorted plastic bags and soft plastics into the recycling bin Plastic bags and soft (scrunchable) plastics cannot be recycled in kerbside recycling bins and should be dropped off for recycling at RedCycle bins at Coles or Woolworths or placed in the general waste bin.
Electronic waste 16% incorrectly sorted e-waste into the general waste bin and 4% incorrectly sorted e-waste into the recycling bin E-waste cannot be disposed of in your kerbside bins and should be properly recycled by dropping off at Balcatta Recycling Centre or left out during bulk verge collection.
Household batteries and light globes 52% incorrectly sorted light bulbs into either the general waste bin or recycling bin, and 23% incorrectly sorted batteries into either bin. Household batteries or light globes cannot be disposed of in either kerbside bins and should be dropped off at a City of Vincent recycling station (at the Library, Main Admin Centre, Beatty Park, North Perth Plaza or Mt Hawthorn's Mezz).
Clothing and textiles 53% incorrectly sorted clothing and textiles into the general waste bin and 3% incorrectly sorted into the recycling bin Clothing and textiles cannot be recycled and should be reused by donating to charity. If clothing/textiles are in unusable condition, please dispose of in your general waste bin.
Broken glass 29% incorrectly sorted broken glass into the general waste bin Broken glass should be placed in your yellow lid recycling bin.

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