What goes in the FOGO bin (green)?

FOGO = Food Organics, Garden Organics

The 240L lime green lidded FOGO bin is for kitchen food scraps and organic garden waste.

The Town provides a kitchen caddy to collect food scraps and certified compostable caddy liners to residents free of charge.

All Food waste can go into your FOGO bin: Vegetable and fruit scraps Meat and dairy scraps Tea bags and coffee grounds (no pods) Bread and pastries Seafood, including shells Food leftovers and scraps Eggshells Out-of-date food (unpackaged)

Garden & Other organic waste that can go into FOGO: Grass clippings and leaves Plant cuttings, small branches, twigs Flowers and weeds Certified Australian Standard compostable liners Tissues, napkins and paper towel Greasy/soiled cardboard (remove tape) Pet poo

Please ensure that all packaging and labels are removed.

Wrapped food, plastic or polystyrene packaging will contaminate the FOGO bin as they are difficult to remove during the composting process.

Contents of your FOGO bin are composted and turned into a soil improver. By ensuring only organic waste goes into the FOGO bin, the Bassendean community can help divert these resources from landfill. Recycling FOGO diverts waste from landfill, reduces disposal costs and allows the Town to meet the State Governments Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery targets.

What goes General Waste bin (red)?

The 140L red lidded General Waste bin is for household waste that cannot be recycled or composted. The contents of this bin are sent to landfill.

Items to be placed in the General Waste bin include: Old clothes, textiles and shoes Nappies, hygiene and sanitary items Polystyrene Plastic bags and soft plastics Ropes, straps and hoses Disposable plates, cutlery and coffee cups Long-life cartons (silver-lined) Meat trays Kitty litter

What is a Kitchen Caddy?

The Town supplies a 7L kitchen caddy along with certified compostable caddy liners to each household/business with a waste service.

This caddy can be used to collect food scraps in the kitchen for your FOGO bin.

Liners can be placed inside the caddy to provide a barrier between the caddy and food waste.

Liners should generally last 3-4 days before they should be tied off and placed into your FOGO bin.

If you choose to purchase additional liners please ensure they are certified compostable and display the home compostable symbol or the C-shaped sproutling symbol:

You can also use newspaper to line your kitchen caddy, or go nude and place scraps straight in the caddy and FOGO bin!

Origami liners can also be made out of newspaper - it's a good project for the kids!

Instructions - Origami Newspaper Liner

But I have my own compost heap/ worm farm/ bury my organic waste/ have chooks...

Thank you! You are doing a great job and we need more people like you!

The FOGO bin can complement your compost heap as it can take the things that your compost heap can’t – like weed seeds, excess lawn clippings and leaves, meat, bones and dairy products.  Compost heaps need the right blend of ‘green’ and ‘brown’ materials so if you’ve got excess of one type, you can add it to the lime green FOGO bin, knowing that it will still be composted. Branches that are too thick for the compost heap can also be put in the lime green FOGO bin.

Worms can be fussy eaters and often do not like onions, citrus, eggshells and potato peels. You can put the things they don’t like in the lime green FOGO bin.

Feel free to continue burying your organic waste as it is great for adding nutrients to the soil. If there are some things that you do not bury, they can be put in the lime green FOGO bin.

Chooks are great at turning organic matter into fertilizer. There are some things that chooks won’t eat so they can also be put in the lime green FOGO bin.

How will the new Three Bin FOGO system benefit the community?

There are many benefits to adopting the FOGO system including:

• Less organic waste to landfill, which will reduce the landfill levy incurred by the Town as FOGO waste is not subject to the landfill levy.
• When organic waste breaks down in landfill methane is released (a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon), it also releases moisture and in combination with rain & condensation it mixes to create a harmful leachate. FOGO will significantly reduce this environmental impact.
• Soil improver is produced from the FOGO waste which can then be put back on the land assisting with nutrient cycling.

How is the three bin FOGO system different to a two bin system?

Town of Bassendean residents have three separate bins:

• 240 litre lime-green lid FOGO bin, for all your food scraps and garden clippings, which is turned into soil improver. This bin is collected weekly
• 240 litre yellow lid Recycling bin, which is collected fortnightly.
• 140 litre red lid General Waste bin for items that can’t be recycled or turned into soil improver. This bin is collected on the alternate fortnight to your yellow lid Recycling bin. If you find your household is struggling with capacity issues after you start using the new bins, contact us to see if a solution can be provided to you.

I have children in nappies, which bin do these go in?

Nappies should be placed in the red lid General Waste bin. Emptying the contents of the nappy into the toilet and securing the nappy in a plastic bag will minimise odours.

• Tip the contents of the nappy down the toilet before disposing.
• Wrap the disposable nappy into itself using the tabs.
• Seal nappies tightly in plastic bags (you can use scented bags) before placing in the general waste bin.
• Store your general waste bin in the shade and out of direct sun if possible.
• Make sure your general waste bin lid closes properly and there are no cracks in the bin sides.
• Consider using odour neutralising products in your bin, including cat litter, crystals or bicarbonate of soda.
• Reusable cloth nappies have come a long way in the past decade. Whether using them part-time or full-time, they can help to save space and reduce odours in the general waste bin.

The Town encourages residents to look at ways to avoid waste and provides a rebate for the purchase and hire of Modern Cloth Nappies and reusable sanitary items.

Sustainability Programs » Town of Bassendean

Do I have to use compostable bags?

If you do use bags, they must be certified compostable.

You don’t have to use bags – you can put things straight in the bin or wrap them in newspaper. 

All households are provided with a roll of compostable liners and a kitchen caddy to help your household use your FOGO bin. Residents can collect compostable liners free of charge by visiting the Customer Services Centre 35 Old Perth Road or the Bassendean Memorial Library 46 Old Perth Road and providing proof of address.

I've heard there were changes to recycling recently? What are they and why?

Changes in global markets and tighter restrictions on recyclables now mean that some materials previously accepted have now been excluded to create a standard approach to recycling across WA. This will help everyone better understand what goes in what bin regardless of what area you live in. The aim of these changes is to reduce contamination and create cleaner recyclables for processing.  

There are three main changes to what you can now put into your recycling yellow-lidded bin. Aerosols, soft plastics and meat trays are no longer to be placed in the yellow-lidded bin.

• Aerosol cans cause fires in trucks and facilities. These should be taken to your nearest Household Hazardous waste drop off location for recycling https://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/programs/view/household-hazardous-waste 
• Meat trays should be placed in your general waste bin due to contamination and the mixed use of materials used to make them
• Soft plastics (scrunchable) should be placed in your general waste bin.

What if 140L red lid General Waste bin is not large enough?

The Town is aware that some households have large families or unique requirements and may still require the 240L General Waste bin. Rate payers can opt to have a larger 240L General Waste bin as per the additional Fees and Charges for the current financial year.  To discuss this option please contact the Town on 9377 8000 or email [email protected]

Annual Budget, Fees and Charges » Town of Bassendean

How Can I Reduce Bugs & Maggots in my FOGO Bin?

• Be sure to put your FOGO bin out every week, even if it’s not full.
• Don’t overfill your compostable caddy bags, to prevent breakage.  Tie them off tightly. Keep caddy lid closed tightly.
• Wrap and place any odourous food scraps (seafood, meat etc.) in the freezer until collection day.
• Any food contaminated cardboard/paper eg pizza boxes, paper kitchen towel, tissues, shredded paper can all go in the FOGO bin and will help absorb moisture.
• Layering cardboard, newspaper or green waste at the bottom of the bin can help absorb liquids and prevent waste sticking to the inside of the bin. (Remove all plastic/sticky packaging tape from cardboard)
• Make use of small cardboard boxes for dog poo/kitty litter, so sides of bin aren’t soiled. (tape removed from boxes)
• If possible, allow lawn clippings and garden cuttings to dry out to prevent moisture build up.
• Keep your bins in the shade with the bin lids tightly closed.
• Sprinkle baking soda, kitty litter, vinegar, oil of cloves or lemon juice in the bin after empty to reduce odours.
• Clean your bin after empty with soapy water.

How do I find out more information?

For further information, please contact the Town’s Recycling & Waste team at [email protected] or call 9377 8000.