Participating residents receive new bin, kitchen caddy and liners ahead FOGO trial launch
Date published: 15 September 2021
Residents in Idalia, Heatley, Vincent and Burdell are receiving their new lime-green-lidded bins ahead of the food organic and garden organic (FOGO) trial commencing in October.
Households in Idalia and Burdell will trial using the bins for both food and garden organics (FOGO), with houses in Heatley and Vincent trialling just garden organics (GO).
Around 1,500 properties will take part in the 12-month trial, receiving an additional 240 litre bin that will be emptied weekly for FOGO participants and fortnightly for the GO properties.
Townsville Water and Waste Committee chairperson Russ Cook said residents would have a few weeks to familiarise themselves with what goes in each bin before the trial begins.
“The trial kicks off in those residential areas in the first week of October and Council has been working hard to ensure that there is plenty of information available on how to use each of these bins effectively,” Cr Cook said.
“As part of their bin delivery, residents participating in the FOGO trial are now receiving their new 240 litre lime-green-lidded bin, a kitchen caddy, and bin liners.
“Audits of bins throughout the city have shown that close to half of the content in our red-lidded bins is organic products that can be diverted and repurposed into products such as soil conditioner and compost.
“Any food waste such as fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and eggshells can go in the FOGO bins and garden waste such as lawn clippings, leaves and small branches can go into both the FOGO and GO bins.
Cr Cook said this trial, which has received $220,000 in funding from the Queensland Government, would allow Council to engage with residents on the best strategy for reducing waste to landfill.
“We’re urging the community to get behind this trial because it’s important that we understand the best ways to meet our aspiration for zero waste to landfill by 2030 and align with the policies and strategies implemented by the Queensland and Australian Governments,” he said.
“Various regions across the state are running their own trials in this space too because there is a collective need and community desire to adopt more sustainable practices that are cost efficient and better for the environment.
“But we do want to make sure that the community is on this journey with us, so we will be engaging with residents regularly and conducting a survey to ensure we understand the full impacts of introducing FOGO by the end of the 12-month trial.”
Council has been engaging with local businesses that provide green waste services to identify opportunities where we can work together achieving the ultimate goal in landfill reduction.
For more information on the FOGO trial, visit Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO).
