St Arnaud Kerbside FOGO trial

Food Organics/Garden Organics = FOGO

Northern Grampians Shire Council has introduced a food and garden organics kerbside collection trial in and around the St Arnaud township. The FOGO Recycling Flyer(PDF, 1MB) explains more about the St Arnaud FOGO Trial. We'd like to see this trial increase recycling culture and grow the circular economy within our shire, enable the further development of our four-stream waste management program, and encourage and educate the community around best practices to reduce landfill. Use the FOGO Calendar(PDF, 75KB) to see when to put your FOGO bin out and remember not all things are FOGO(PDF, 343KB) !

 

What the trial will achieve

We are trialling a new way for St Arnaud residents to dispose of food and garden organics and have selected 1170 properties to participate in the free trial.

There will be no cost to the ratepayer/s of the selected properties to participate, with each property to receive a free 7-litre kitchen caddy to assist with the easy disposal of their food organics into their new 240-litre 'green-lidded' FOGO bin.

The trial will help lead the council closer to achieving our close-to-source waste management strategy.

Kerbside FOGO collection will assist with landfill diversion, an increase in recycling figures, a reduction in instances of illegal dumping, and education on the waste streams available for separation. Future plans for the delivery of this service shire-wide will in-turn minimise the impact to ratepayers of collection cost increases due to the savings made from a reduction to landfill. 

Given the mandate to implement a four-stream waste program in the shire as part of the broader Victorian Government circular economy strategy, Northern Grampians Shire Council is determined to implement an affordable, practical, and environmentally sound program.  

Project Timeline

May 2023

Initial information is provided regarding the St Arnaud Kerbside FOGO trial.

June/July 2023

Info-sessions are available for the St Arnaud community to attend where residents will be able to hear more about the St Arnaud Kerbside FOGO trial. Further detailed information is provided. 

August 2023

The St Arnaud Kerbside FOGO trial commences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the size of the bin be changed?

Not during the trial.

What will the trial cost?

 The FOGO service provided in the trial is free.

Can the size of the bin be changed?

Not during the trial.

Can the size of the bin be changed? What do I need to remember when I put my FOGO bin out?

NO PLASTIC BAGS in caddys please. Please only use newspaper or paper towel in bin and caddy.

Do I have to have the bin and be part of the trial?

Yes, it costs nothing for you to have it. You don't need to put your bins out for collection if you compost everything at home yourself already.

Why are we conducting a trial?
Recycling reforms introduced by the State Government in 2020 require all 79 local government areas to provide a new disposal stream for food and garden organics and glass by 2030. Previous audits undertaken by the council on kerbside waste bins have shown that over 50 percent of all waste bin content is organic materials.
What does the trial involve?
The St Arnaud Kerbside FOGO trial will allow provision of a 240-litre green bin for residents within selected township areas(PDF, 452KB) for disposal of garden organics and food organics (please see the flyer on this page(PDF, 192KB) about what NOT to put in your FOGO bin). Bins will initially be collected fortnightly, on a Monday and a Tuesday.
Please note that an ongoing audit of bins and continuing community engagement with participants is planned to assist in minimising waste, reducing contamination and providing an optimal service to best fit with your needs.

Why St Arnaud?

Ratepayers of the 1170 properties selected in St Arnaud to participate in the trial will receive free FOGO kerbside collection for a year. The trial will enable the council to increase our understanding of what works best for the community in relation to bin size and frequency of collections. Participating in this trial offers residents an opportunity to provide feedback that will later assist the council to formulate an efficient future kerbside green bin service for the whole of the shire.