FOGO and compost

Illustrated FOGO items banner

What is FOGO?

FOGO stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics. Under the FOGO service, all types of organic materials - from food scraps to lawn clippings and much more - can be placed in the bright green lidded organics kerbside collection bin. From November 2019, all green waste bins officially became FOGO bins.

The City of Hobart recently introduced FOGO bins into the community as part of its commitment to reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Our FOGO public place bins are currently located at the following sites:

  • Legacy Park, Soldiers Memorial Oval & Domain Athletics Centre (Queens Domain)
  • Darcy St Park (South Hobart)
  • John Turnbull dog exercise area (Lenah Valley)
  • Cornelian Bay (New Town)
  • The Springs (Fern Tree)

More Information, including what can go in the FOGO bin, can be found in these documents:

Or watch this video to find out more about how to use FOGO.

The material collected is taken to an industrial composting facility outside of Hobart where it is transformed into a quality compost that meets Australian standard AS 4454-2012.

View the video to see what happens to your FOGO

Who can have a FOGO bin?

All City of Hobart residents, businesses and organisations. The majority of residents already have a FOGO bin - they have a City issue kitchen caddy and are able to place both food waste and garden organics in their 240L bright green-lidded organics bin.

Residents that don't already have a service and would like to opt-in, can do so by completing one of the forms below depending on whether a weekly or fortnightly service is preferred:

Printable forms are available on our forms page.

Please note: there are different annual fees for fortnightly and weekly collection. The current fees can be found under 'Wheelie bins – Upgrades/Repairs/Replacement' on the fees and charges page.

How do I cancel an existing FOGO service?

Residents can opt-out of the service by completing the online FOGO bin opt out application. A printable form is available on our forms page

How do I upgrade my current fortnightly collection to weekly?

If you currently have a FOGO bin and would like to increase your service to a weekly collection, you can do so by completing the online FOGO bin application - opt in (weekly service) form. A printable form is available on our forms page.

Please note: there is an annual fee for this additional service. The current fees can be found under 'Wheelie bins – Upgrades/Repairs/Replacement' on the fees and charges page.

What can go in the FOGO bin?

Test your FOGO knowledge by playing the 3-Bin Fogo Game

Include Don't include
✔ Food scraps & left overs ✖ Plastics and plastic bag & liners without composting certification*
✔ Dairy products ✖ Textiles
✔ Meat, bones & egg shells ✖ Rocks/Concrete/Ceramics
✔ Cooked food ✖ Large branches & stumps
✔ Coffee grounds & tea leaves ✖ General waste or recycling
✔ Paper towel & tissues ✖ Metals
✔ Soiled paper & cardboard ✖ Treated timber & building materials
✔ Grass clippings
✔ Weeds
✔ Small branches
✔ Pet poo & cat litter (organic)  
✔ Compostable cups, plates & cutlery*  
✔ Certified compostable bags*  
✔ Certified compostable nappies*  

*Compostable bioplastic products that are certified under one of the following certifications; AS 5810, AS 4736, ASTM D6400, and EN13432 can be placed in your FOGO bin. Look for a label on the product or ask your supplier for certification. Bags and serving-ware (e.g plates & cutlery) made from natural fibres such as wood, paper, bagasse and cardboard can be placed in your FOGO bin.

Why is a FOGO service being introduced?

Compost and mulch pile

We know that approximately 50% of the average household waste bin in Hobart is food and a further 10% is garden waste. By collecting the organic material generated in Hobart homes and businesses and composting it into nutrient rich soil, the FOGO service reduces waste to landfill and the release of greenhouse gas emissions. The compost is later used within agriculture and horticulture therefore ‘closing the loop’ and assisting the City in moving towards our aim of zero waste to landfill by 2030.

The introduction of FOGO is the second step in the City's plan to get organics out of waste bins following the successful introduction of the garden waste kerbside collection in 2016.

The Green Waste service collected over 700 full trucks of green waste every year. The introduction of FOGO has the potential to capture up to 4,000 tonnes of organic material and turn it into valuable compost rather than sending it into landfill.

When will my FOGO bin be collected?

Every fortnight on the opposite week to recycling (or every week if you opted in for the weekly collection service). If you already have a green bin for garden organics, continue to put your bin out on the same day as per your usual schedule. Kerbside waste and recycling services will remain unchanged.

To check your rubbish, recycle and FOGO waste bin collection days, please use our bin collection function:

When is my bin collected?

You can also print out the relevant calendar: 

How to choose the calendar

Please use our bin collection function to see what day your collection falls on. For example, if the search shows your recycling bin collection day is 28 November, look at both calendars. The one that shows 28 November as a recycling collection day (in yellow) is your calendar - Calendar 1.

If the search shows that your recycling is collected on 21 November and you opened a Calendar 1 that shows this week as FOGO, that's not your calendar, yours must be Calendar 2.

If you have any questions, please contact us 03 6238 2711.

Can I use bin liners?

To reduce the risk of contamination, it is preferred that FOGO users put their scraps in loose. All FOGO service recipients received a kitchen caddy to put their food scraps in which can then be transferred directly into the 240L FOGO wheelie bin when full or ready for collection. Plastic bin liners contaminate loads. Residents can use a piece of paper towel to line their kitchen caddy or can fold a purpose made liner from newspaper. Find Instructions for a DIY newspaper liner here(PDF, 124KB). It is strongly preferred that residents opt for no or paper liners, however if a certified compostable bioplastic liner must be used then it must be certified under one of the following certifications: AS 5810, AS 4736, ASTM D6400, and EN13432.

Will my bin smell?

Not if you follow these few handy tips:

  • Freeze fish & meat waste and put in your FOGO bin the morning of collection
  • Try making a kitchen caddy liner from newspaper, DIY newspaper liner instructions here(PDF, 124KB)
  • Use a sprinkling of bicarbonate soda to deodorise your bin
  • Layer your food waste with garden waste such as lawn clippings & leaf litter
  • Rinse you bin out regularly & let it dry completely
  • Keep your bin in the shade if possible

Further questions?

Contact coh@hobartcity.com.au or phone 03 6238 2711.

Composting at home

The McRobies Gully Waste Management Centre (the tip) processes garden waste to produce mulch and certified organic compost. The City sells this mulch and compost and also uses it in parks and at the tip.

Food waste comprises nearly half of the rubbish in an average household rubbish bin.

If you compost your food waste you're diverting it from landfill where it takes up valuable space, and rots and emits harmful methane gasses. Around 3% of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions come from organic matter rotting in landfills.

Home composting_illustration by Rachel Tribout

As part of efforts to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030, the City has released a free booklet called ‘Home Composting in Hobart’. Produced by Good Life Permaculture, with illustrations by local artist Rachel Tribout, the booklet provides strategies and techniques for composting food waste. It covers topics from worm farms to keeping chooks, as well as advice for common composting problems and how to build a no-dig garden.

You can download the booklet(PDF, 3MB) or get a printed copy at the Customer Service Centre, 16 Elizabeth Street, Monday-Friday, 8.15 am – 5.15 pm.

The following flyers are also available to download:

Compost and mulch sales

Compost and mulch can be purchased at McRobies Gully Waste Management Centre (the tip). Please note that delivery is not available.

For general and bulk compost inquiries call 0429 803 135 - Monday to Friday between 7.30 am and 4 pm.

For weekend enquiries call the tollbooth on 03 6238 2581.

For all fees and charges please refer to our Fees and Charges page.

3-Bin FOGO Game

Test your 3-bin FOGO knowledge below and see how many items you can get in the right bin. Or play the full screen version.

Use of this game is with thanks to our friends over at City of Melville