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Please note: We would like to inform residents of a typo in the October-December edition of City News. In the section discussing FOGO bin liners, the word ‘combustible’ was incorrectly used. The correct term should be ‘compostable’. FOGO bin liners are designed to break down naturally with your organic waste. We apologise for any confusion this may have caused. Thank you for your understanding.
FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) is a new way we can recycle our household food scraps every week, beginning week commencing 11 November 2024.
City of Parramatta is excited to announce a new kitchen caddy is joining your household! Your new kitchen caddy will be delivered between September and November along with a new set of bins - red lid garbage, yellow lid recycling and green lid FOGO bin between late July and October - to replace your existing bins. Pop your caddy on the kitchen benchtop, line it with a compostable bin liner, fill it with your food scraps and empty it into your green lid FOGO bin.
FOGO waste collection services will begin week commencing 11 November 2024 to residents living in single-unit dwellings and unit buildings <30 dwellings.*
*People living in buildings with more than 30 dwellings will be introduced to FOGO at a later stage.
What you need to know
(Back to top)Dwellings with 7 units or less (e.g. houses, villas, townhouses, or small units)
Between late-July and November 2024 you will receive:
- A new red lid garbage bin (80L) collected weekly
- A new green lid FOGO bin (240L) collected weekly
- A new yellow lid recycling bin (240L) collected fortnightly
- A new green lid kitchen caddy (7L) for your benchtop
- FOGO service commences 11 November 2024.
Red lid garbage bin cost implications:
| Bin Size | Annual Cost | Cost Implication |
| 80L red lid garbage bin | $457.85* | Cost saving of $42.69 reflected in your rates notice |
| 140L red lid garbage bin | $500.54* | No additional fee – cost remaining the same as is currently being paid. |
| 240L red lid garbage bin | $754.69* | Additional cost of $254.15 on what you currently pay (based on existing standard 140L red lid bin service), which will be reflected in your rates notice. |
*24/25 financial year
Dwellings between 8 and 30 units (e.g. townhouses, villas or apartments)
Between late-July and November 2024 you will receive:
- 1 x new red lid garbage bin to share* between three households (240L) - which will be collected weekly
- 1 x new green lid FOGO bin to share* between five households (240L) - which will be collected weekly from 11 November
- 1 x new yellow lid recycling bin to share* between two households (240L) - which will be collected fortnightly
If you do not think the shared garbage bin arrangement or bin number will work for your unit complex due to storage constraints, Council can assess and review the shared bin arrangement. The authorised strata manager or owners corporation will need to put the request in writing to Council at fogo@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au on behalf of all the owners and residents in the block.
- With food waste being diverted to your new FOGO green bin, you will receive a new 80L red lid garbage bin and cost saving which will be reflected in your rates notice
- Your red lid garbage bin will be reduced to 80L as food waste will be going to the FOGO bin. This will also be reflected in a reduction to your rates costs.
- Property owners can also fill in a digital form to confirm the preferred size of their red lid garbage bin. (Note – bin submission deadline date was 17 May 2024, therefore your request will be added to our second round delivery schedule).
- You’ll get increased capacity of bin space with FOGO!
- For renters who require a larger red lid bin, please contact your real estate agent or landlord by Friday 17 May 2024 for them to purchase a larger bin option on your behalf.
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Bin Type Green Garden Organics bin Red Garbage bin Yellow Recycling bin Bin Size 240L 140L 240L Collection Frequency Fortnightly Weekly Fortnightly
Total waste capacity across a fortnight is currently 760L.This will change to:
Bin Type Green Food Organics and Garden Organics bin Red Garbage bin Yellow Recycling bin Bin Size 240L 80L 240L Collection Frequency Weekly Weekly Fortnightly 
Total waste capacity across a fortnight will increase to 880L. -
With our new waste collection program, you’ll get increased capacity moving from 760 litres per fortnight to 880 litres per fortnight across the red landfill bin, yellow recycling bin and green FOGO bin – this is an increase of 120 litres!
TOTAL BIN CAPACITY PER FORTNIGHT Red Garbage FOGO Yellow Recycling Total volume per Fortnight Current 280L (2X140L) 240L (1x240L) 240L (1x240L) 760L FOGO 160L (2x80L) 480L (2x240L) 240L (1x240L) 880L Change -120L +240L No change +120L
Red Lid Garbage Bin Request form
(Back to top)Property owners can fill in a digital form to confirm the preferred size of their red lid garbage bin. (Note – bin submission deadline date was 17 May 2024, therefore your request will be added to our second round delivery schedule).
Key dates
(Back to top) |
Property owners of single-unit dwellings are sent a form with the option to opt in to receive a larger red lid bin by 17 May. For renters who require a larger red lid bin, please contact your real estate agent or landlord. As the deadline has passed, property owners can still fill out a digital form to confirm the preferred size of their red lid garbage bin. The request will be added to the second round delivery schedule. |
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Your new kitchen caddy and compostable liners will be delivered to your doorstep. |
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FOGO service rolled out to people living in apartments with more than 30 dwellings. |
Become a FOGO Champion
(Back to top)Help your community embrace this great change and become a FOGO champion. You will act as a FOGO advocate within the community by offering to help people adjust to the new way we recycle our food scraps. Submit your interest here. We will be in touch to roll out FOGO with your support.
Keep up to date
Stay tuned for more information! Council is here to help you on your FOGO journey.
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- In late 2021 and early 2022, Council ran an eight-week community consultation campaign requesting feedback on the introduction of the government-mandated FOGO waste collection service.
- The campaign included information about sending food waste to landfill and the environmental and cost benefits of separating food from general waste.
- Four options for a new waste collection service were outlined and Council surveyed residents on which were acceptable and which was the preferred solution.
- A variety of methods and channels were used to promote the consultation:
- an LGA-wide letterbox drop
- multiple social media campaigns
- Council's e-newsletters (City News) and Participate newsletters
- Council's website and media release
- Local newspaper display ads
- On Monday 22 August 2022, Council was presented the survey and workshop results for consideration.
- Council resolved to approve ‘Service Option 3’ to be specified in the future waste services tender. Service Option 3 is as follows:
- Weekly collection of general waste in a 80L bin
- Fortnightly collection of recycling in a 240L bin
- Weekly collection of food organics and garden organics in a 240L bin
- The reasons for supporting Option 3 were:
- It provides a weekly collection, which was of high importance to the community in survey results
- It recognises that on average, 46% of the contents of the red-lidded garbage bin is food waste and that this would be collected weekly in the green bin
- It supports the City’s goal of diverting 85% of waste from landfill as per the endorsed Environmental Sustainability Strategy
- Councillors also discussed:
- The need for significant education and communication prior to the roll out
- Providing opportunity for households to request a larger bin if needed (at a small cost)
- Providing a service which balances the needs of different household types
- To view the options presented in the survey, please visit Participate Parramatta.
- Not sure about your bin collection day? Check the Bin Collection map.
- In late 2021 and early 2022, Council ran an eight-week community consultation campaign requesting feedback on the introduction of the government-mandated FOGO waste collection service.
