Waverley is preparing to lay the groundwork for a trial of its Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection service by 2024.
Per the official statement, a number of factors like procurement, workforce planning, community education programs and contractual matters are being undertaken to iron out the program before the trial runs.
Waverley Council is also planning to secure funding from the NSW Environment Protection Authority to sustain the FOGO collection service. However, residents may expect a rate increase as the cost for providing commingled recycling bins will set back Council more than $2.6 million a year. Mayor Paula Masselos expects a $25 per year increase for ratepayers.
The move follows Randwick, Woollahra and Penrith, which have been running its FOGO trials for a couple of years. However, some Waverley councillors warned that the program should be carefully planned as the local governments that have gone done FOGO first have had some unexpected outcomes.
The councillors believe that FOGO collection service is a complex process that must not be rushed, thus the rollout’s timeline will provide Waverley sufficient time to prepare the residents.
The decision to start FOGO, however, has been well-received by a community enthusiastic to meet its environmental goals. Local leaders expect that many residents will participate in the trial.
Meanwhile, Waverley Council has encouraged residents to learn better meal planning, storage and food waste techniques in preparation for the FOGO trials by following the tips and tricks from the NSW Love Food Hate Waste Food Smart Programs.
“When we throw away food, we’re also throwing away all the natural resources like water and energy that went into growing, packaging, producing, transporting, selling and preparing your food,” the Council stated.
