Dispose of your Food and Garden Organics (FOGO)
FOGO bin not collected?
Some residents are experiencing missed collections of their bins. If this is you, please report it and leave your bin out. You can also take your FOGO waste to any FOGO communal hub location.
As outlined in our Don’t Waste It! Waste Management Strategy (2022-25), we are expanding our FOGO services in 2023 to ensure that all households are able to divert their FOGO materials from the garbage stream.
We will provide this service using a hybrid model:
- Properties with space for additional bins will be allocated a kerbside FOGO bin.
- Properties that don’t have the space can take their FOGO materials to their local communal FOGO hub. Communal hubs are located throughout the municipality in local parks, reserves and other central community locations. For more information see Communal FOGO recycling hubs below.
FOGO bin rollout
Houses and townhouses
In January 2023 we delivered 120L kerbside FOGO bins to eligible stand-alone houses and townhouses. Bins were delivered with a FOGO Brochure including information about the service.
Apartments and unit blocks
In light of recent kerbside collection issues, we are currently revising our rollout schedule for FOGO to apartments and unit blocks. Once we have finalised our plans, we will communicate these here and via other Council channels. We thank you for your patience and encourage you to use the communal FOGO hubs in the meantime. There is no FOGO charge associated with the service for apartments and unit blocks as the bins are shared between residents.
Kerbside collection schedule
FOGO bins will be collected from the kerbside weekly, on the same night as garbage and mixed recycling bins.

Caddy, liners and meal planner for collection
Kitchen Caddy and Liners
A free kitchen caddy (7L container with a lid) and one roll of caddy liners are available for collection to any household in Port Phillip that would like one.
Caddies can be collected from any of our five library branches: Albert Park, Emerald Hill, Middle Park, Port Melbourne and St Kilda.
If you have accessibility requirements that prevent you from collecting a FOGO caddy please contact ASSIST on 03 9209 6777 to discuss delivery options.
Compostable liners
You don't need to use liners to dispose of your food waste. However, if you would like to use caddy liners you must use lime green certified compostable liners (certified to AS 4736 or AS 5810). These can be purchased from most supermarkets, major hardware stores or from online retailers, for example:
Using non-certified compostable liners will result in your food waste being diverted to landfill as it cannot be composted.
Compostable logos
Look out for AS 4736 or AS 5810 logos for certified compostable liners.

Food and organic waste we accept
We only accept food organic waste that can be made into safe compost. If you would like a reminder of what can go in your FOGO bin, please download our FOGO poster.
Accepted
Food organics:
- fruit and vegetable scraps including citrus and onion
- meat and seafood
- uncooked bones
- baked goods including bread, pastries
- grains and cereal
- mouldy and expired products
- loose tea leaves and coffee grounds.
Garden Organics
- grass clippings and weeds (free of soil)
- garden prunings
- leaves
Other items
- lime green compostable caddy liners (AS 4736 and AS 5810)
- small amounts of tissues, paper towel and shredded paper.
Don't include
- tea bags
- coffee pods
- pet waste and cat litter
- compostable food packaging
- liquids including cooking oil
- soft plastics and plastic bags
- soil
- rocks and pebbles
- plant pots
- cooked bones and shellfish shells
- rubber bands and string
- bamboo cutlery
- nappies.
Communal FOGO recycling hubs
You can recycle your FOGO materials at communal FOGO recycling hubs that can be found in parks and reserves across our City.
Please note that our communal FOGO hubs can only accept small amounts of green waste such as cut flowers and indoor plant trimmings. Please take your bulk garden waste to the Resource Recovery Centre or book a free green waste collection.
Reducing your food waste
Food and garden waste makes up around 46 per cent of the waste our households send to landfill, and produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is approximately 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Reducing the amount of food waste we produce is an important step in helping our environment.
We recommend planning your meals and checking your fridge for existing groceries before your weekly shop to reduce food waste. To help you plan your meals we have created a meal planner and shopping list for you to use. Click here to download your meal planner and shopping list.
Apply to opt out of an allocated FOGO bin
We recognise that some apartments and unit blocks will not have the space to accommodate these new FOGO bins.
In this instance, Owners Corporation or Building Managers may request to opt-out of the service on behalf of the building. Please note that the following must be provided as part of the opt out request:
- a written letter of support from the Owners Corporation or equivalent supporting the request to opt out
- images of the bin room or storage area showing lack of space for additional FOGO bins.
Please contact ASSIST on 9209 6777 or use the opt out of FOGO button below.
Please note that due to a high number of enquiries there will be a delay in response time. Please keep your FOGO bin within your property until you receive a response.
Processing your FOGO – step by step

The FOGO Cycle
Food and organic waste goes through a 6-step process to become compost:
- Collection: FOGO materials are collected and taken to Cleanaway's South East Organics Facility in Dandenong South.
- Remove contamination: Contamination is hand-removed – things that shouldn’t be in the FOGO bin are taken out.
- Shredding and stacking: FOGO materials are shredded then stacked into long piles called windrows, which are kept moist and turned regularly for 16 to 20 weeks.
- Composting: These materials are composted at 50 to 70 degrees to destroy weeds and pathogens. Lab testing ensures the compost complies with standards.
- Screening and grading: The composted FOGO is screened into required sizes. Different grades of compost are required for different applications.
- End product: Your processed FOGO is ready for use! This compost is full of nutrients and used to rehabilitate land throughout Victoria.
FOGO FAQs
Our Customer Charter
We promise to:
- Make it easy
- Listen and understand
- Be responsive and follow through
- Be open and honest
- Always look to improve.