From October 29, anywhere and anyone that already has a green bin service will have their waste collection adjusted to accommodate the Food Organics, Garden Organics initiative. This includes businesses and accommodation outlets that use the (currently) monthly green waste service.

If this is you, you should have already received, or soon will, a kitchen caddy and a roll of compostable bags courtesy of the Bega Valley Shire Council.

Around 13,500 of the caddies are being rolled out across the shire.

All food scraps – and in this case it does mean ALL – can go into these caddies, and from there, into your green-lid bin to join your garden clippings for a new weekly pickup.

Different from backyard compost as you’d likely already understand it, meat scraps and bones, dairy products and citrus fruits and skins can all go in your FOGO green bin.

As can the paper towel you’ve wiped up a juice spill or food preparation scraps with. Toss in your teabags as well!

On average, 44 per cent by weight of waste sent to our landfill is organic based (38 per cent food and six per cent other organic material). Another estimated 17 per cent is recyclable material. Essentially, two-thirds of what is filling up the Central Waste Facility at Wolumla doesn’t need to be there. As such, FOGO is projected to divert about 1000 tonnes of organics from landfill each year. 

READ ALSO: FOGO explainer – from kitchen to compost

It also aims to produce less methane, a damaging greenhouse gas. Methane is produced when organic matter breaks down without air, while under FOGO air is forced through a composting pile to prevent the creation of the gas.

Something stinky that has been raised as a “concern” with FOGO is where disposable nappies end up. These of course will continue to be placed in your red bin along with other waste items not able to be otherwise recycled, destined for landfill. But for those people getting the new FOGO service, red bins will now only be collected fortnightly.

This has caused some concern about the likely smell of two-week-old dirty nappies but to be fair, bins full of nappies smell, irrespective of how often they get picked up.

Perhaps it’s an opportunity to consider reusable alternatives?

Soft plastics including shopping bags, packaging (biscuits, frozen veg, cereal, etc), any trays that “scrunch up” and pop back can all be recycled by returning them to collection bins at both Coles or Woolworths.

Add to that (or perhaps more accurately, subtract) eligible cans and bottles to the reverse vending machines, all paper, cardboard and other recyclable containers to your yellow bin, and there really shouldn’t be a lot left over for the red bin.

The message to recycle, repurpose or otherwise divert stuff from landfill is hitting home with those who will inherit this earth and its waste – our children. This was clearly in evidence from the huge turnout to Friday night’s FOGOmentary launch.

READ ALSO: Costa front FOGO campaign in Bega Valley

FOGO isn’t a huge impost on your time, it doesn’t take much effort to switch which bin you throw your scraps into. The majority of our children are already doing it through school-based initiatives.

It saves the environment, saves the council (and therefore ratepayers and residents) money, and all the elements and education are provided for you. 

Why wouldn’t you FOGO?