Can You Eat It or Grow It? FOGO It.

Published on 04 August 2026

Every banana peel, lawn clipping and leftover salad can have a second life through Council's Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) kerbside collection service. 

Instead of ending up in landfill, where food waste breaks down and creates methane - a harmful greenhouse gas, your food and garden scraps can be transformed into nutrient-rich compost, turning yesterday's leftovers into tomorrow's healthy soils. 

Using your FOGO bin correctly helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and ensures food and garden organics can be turned into high-quality compost. Just one contaminated bin can compromise an entire load of collected organics. 

Southern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Dennis Heslin said every household has the opportunity to make a positive environmental impact through small, everyday actions. 

"What might seem like a small habit, like putting your food scraps or garden clippings in the right bin, adds up across our whole community," Cr Heslin said. 

“Every correctly sorted FOGO bin contributes to a larger resource recovery system. By separating food and garden organics from general rubbish, residents help transform organic waste into a valuable product rather than sending it to landfill.” 

Council's commitment to organics recycling extends beyond kerbside collections, with plans progressing for a local Organics Processing Facility at Hamilton’s Transfer Station.  

“The proposed facility will process food and garden organics locally, supporting resource recovery and produce high-quality compost for use across the region.  

“Processing organics closer to home allows us to make better use of what residents are already placing in their FOGO bins and return it to the community as a useful product,” concluded Cr Heslin. 

How you can get the most from your FOGO service:

• Keep your FOGO bin free from plastic bags and other contaminants. 

• Remember that cooked food, meat, bones, dairy, bread, coffee grounds and eggshells can all go in your FOGO bin. 

• Place your FOGO bin out for collection regularly, even if it isn't completely full, particularly during warmer months. 

Every household has a role to play in creating a cleaner, greener Southern Grampians. 

For more information, including a full list of what waste goes where, view our A-Z Waste Guide. Further information on the proposed Organics Processing Facility can also be found on our website.  

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