FOGO Trial Participant FAQs

Council has been conducting a FOGO bin trial in select areas to collect data and gauge community sentiment. The trial extended over four seasons to provide as much data as possible and now, following sufficient data collection, Council has decided to end the trial.

Common grievances expressed by residents in trial sites included an increase in flies, odour associated with the FOGO and residual waste bins, and liquid from decomposition in the FOGO bin. Community members also raised concerns about the cost of a future service, and they provided feedback which said there was a lack of space for household waste, including nappies and personal hygiene items, with only the fortnightly residual waste bin service.

Green waste can be disposed of for free at Green Solutions Wide Bay, and at Council Waste Facilities except for at Bundaberg and Qunaba where a fee is payable, and residents are encouraged to compost at home.

No. Council has yet to make a business decision to progress with a permanent FOGO service or the relevant charges that would apply.

A preliminary business case has been developed and the reference to $467 is the estimated charge for a full annual waste collection service including weekly FOGO, fortnightly recycling and fortnightly waste.

If that estimate is accurate, and with current waste collection charges for waste and recycling sitting at $383 per annum, the cost would be about an extra $84 per year, per household or $1.61 per week.

Council would also be advocating for State or Federal Government support prior to commencing a FOGO service to reduce the financial burden on ratepayers.

Council has released a full statement in relation to this.

Undertaking the FOGO trial will allow Council to gather essential data in its consideration of a region-wide rollout of a permanent FOGO collection service.

Council is currently undertaking a Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan survey which gives residents the opportunity to provide feedback on a range of initiatives, including the proposal to introduce a permanent FOGO collection service.

Council has released a full statement in relation to this.

Generally, if you can eat it or it grows in the ground, then it’s FOGO.

Food scraps include:

• Raw or cooked bones
• Eggshells
• Fruits and vegetables
• Dairy products
• Rice and pasta
• Unfinished meals plus
• Out of date food (removed from packaging)

Garden waste includes:

• Grass clippings
• Flowers
• Leaves
• Weeds
• Plants (soil connected to the roots is fine, but not excess soil)
• Branches (less than 10 cm thick)

For the trial to be a success there needs to be very little contamination present in your FOGO bin. Do not put these items in your FOGO bin:

• Bin liners (even if they are marked as degradable or compostable) (general waste bin instead)
• Tea bags (general waste bin instead)
• Coffee pods (Coffee grounds are okay, but pods go in your general waste bin instead)
• Soil (if it’s connected to a plant’s root system it’s fine, but not excess soil)
• Fabric (Op shop or general waste bin instead)
• Plastic (bottles or jars go in the recycling bin. All soft plastic goes in general waste bin)
• Cardboard or paper (recycling bin instead)
• Tissues or paper towel (recycling bin instead)
• Nappies (general waste bin)
• Timber (contains chemicals and adhesives) (drop at a Council Waste Facility)
• Animal waste (poo, kitty litter, etc.) (general waste bin instead)
• Dead animals (drop at a Council Waste Facility)

If your FOGO bin is contaminated with any waste that doesn’t belong in that bin, it cannot be collected. If your bin with incorrect items is collected by the same truck that collects every other household’s FOGO, it will contaminate the entire truck load of organic material, making it unusable.

We recommend you familiarise yourself with what can and can’t be placed in your FOGO bin and remove any incorrect items that accidently make their way in.

No. To keep the contents of your FOGO bin completely organic, you cannot place any plastic bags into your FOGO bin. This includes biodegradable, compostable (AS4736) or any other type of bag. If bin liners are placed in your FOGO bin the bin will not be serviced.

Plastic bags can vary in colour, size and labelling, which makes it very hard to determine what is compostable and what is not once there’s a whole garbage truck full of food and garden organic waste.

If you choose to use a caddy liner, empty the contents into your FOGO bin, then place the liner into your red lidded general waste bin, not your FOGO bin.

Your FOGO (lime green lid) bin will be collected weekly, which will help reduce the chance of odour and insects. Whenever possible, store your FOGO bin in the shade.

We recommend emptying your kitchen caddy every 2-3 days. You could also consider storing any fruit and meat scraps in the fridge or freezer and placing them in your FOGO bin prior to collection day.

Your kitchen caddy is also dishwasher safe.

The FOGO service will be collected weekly. Your general waste bin will be collected fortnightly, like your recycling bin, but on alternating weeks.

To check your general waste, recycle and FOGO bin collection days, please use our bin collection day finder.

FOGO items account for over half of what currently goes in your general waste bin, so there will be much more room in your red lidded bin if you use your FOGO bin correctly.

This service and bin configuration is now common in many Council areas throughout Australia. It’s important to correctly sort your waste into the right bin. You might be surprised by how little needs to go in your general waste bin.

Also look for eco-friendly alternatives to single use items and reuse or recycle wherever possible. Take a look at our waste and recycling handy guide for more tips and tricks. 

Residents who have attempted these options and still require additional space may apply for a second waste bin. Please contact Council on 1300 883 699 for further advice and assistance.

Your FOGO bin can complement your current composting process. It can be used for the things you can’t compost, like weeds and weed seeds, excess lawn clippings and leaves, meat, bones, and dairy products.

No. Should the trial be successful, a 3-bin service, inclusive of FOGO, will become our region’s standard process. We will provide plenty of support and information to all residents to ensure a smooth transition. Please contact Council on 1300 883 699 for further advice and assistance.

The weight limit for the FOGO bin is 75kg.

If your bin exceeds this limit it will not be collected. Should this happen, reduce its weight ready for the next collection or call Council on 1300 883 699 to book an unscheduled bin service.

No, during the trial phase FOGO bins are only available to single-unit dwellings.

During the trial period, there will be no additional rates charged to any participating residents. If, after the trial concludes, FOGO is implemented across the region, there will be a cost added to residents’ rates notice.

If you find that lawn clippings in your green waste bin are getting stuck, place larger, drier material, such as sticks and leaves, on the bottom. This helps with air flow within the bin.