Did you know Australians waste over 7.3 million tonnes of food each year—that’s almost 300kg per person. NSW is stepping up to stop all that waste from rotting in landfills and fuelling climate change. And the ripple effect is huge!

NSW's Big Bin Move

Composting your food scraps is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to fight climate change at home. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and transforms waste into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. As not everyone is into composting, NSW is making it easy for everyone to do the right thing!

The NSW state government has officially committed to rolling out mandatory Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins to all households by July 2030 and to businesses and institutions by 2026. That’s right, NSW’s future includes a bin specifically for your leftover lasagna that has gone bad.

With food and garden waste making up about a third of red-lid bin waste, these special FOGO bins will help divert this waste from landfill, reducing disposal fees, cutting emissions, and creating a valuable resource for soil in gardens, landscaping and agriculture. 

FOGO Plan Diverts One Million Tonnes of Waste

The government mandate is backed by a whopping $81 million in grants for local NSW councils to support the rollout  and expansion of FOGO services by 2030. On top of this, big supermarkets will also need to track and report how much surplus food they’re donating to legends like OzHarvest, SecondBite or Foodbank.

Through these actions, the NSW is expected to divert up to one million tonnes of organic waste from landfill every year. That’s the weight of about 200,000 elephants! It's all part of a broader plan to create a “circular economy” where nothing goes to waste and everything has a purpose.

Composting Made Easy

So, what does this mean for you? Well, it turns out that doing your part for our planet starts with what you scrape off your plate.

Composting food waste rather than tossing it in general rubbish reduces methane emissions—a greenhouse gas that’s 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Whilst you may not have a FOGO bin just yet, that doesn't mean you can't be a part of the solution. If you're looking for an easy way to start composting at home, our Urban Composter bins are the perfect solution. You can find them here! These compact, eco-friendly compost buckets are designed for small spaces, so whether you're in an apartment or have a tiny backyard, you can divert food waste from landfill. 

The Bottom Line? The Earth Thanks You!

With more councils introducing FOGO bins and funding to support processing infrastructure, there’s no better time to hop on the composting train and send your food scraps to a better place (not the bin afterlife). 

And remember, every banana peel, coffee ground and eggshell adds up. So whether you’re a green-thumbed compost pro or just beginning your zero-waste journey, your actions matter. 

Want to read more uplifting eco-news? Check out other Happy Earth News stories here!

Until next week, much love! 
GFZ Team xoxo