FAQs


Why is Council pursuing this project?

Approximately half the content in general waste bins is organic material. When organic material goes to landfill it takes up precious space, producing large amounts of greenhouse gases. Organic material decomposing in Council’s landfills accounts for 52 percent of Council’s corporate greenhouse gas emissions.

To combat this issue, giving residents a third bin for food and garden waste is the next big recycling initiative happening across Australia. 21 percent of councils nationwide now offer this service, with more joining the initiative each year. Organics recycling is supported by federal, state and local governments, along with industry professionals and community members. This service will contribute to Moreton Bay achieving a 70 percent recycling rate of all waste we manage, reaching the 2040 target set by the Queensland Government.

This will bring our community a step closer to the circular economy model, where materials are reused, repaired, and recycled for as long as possible. It will also make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. If all food organics and garden organics waste was diverted from landfill in the Moreton Bay region, it would be equivalent to removing 1,200 diesel waste collection trucks from the road.

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When will the service start?

We’re prioritising the rollout of this service. This is a complex process, and we’re committed to offering our community the best service, value, and sustainability outcomes. A detailed business case was completed in early 2023, and it is informing our funding and investment decisions and subsequent planning and tender processes.

The design, construction and commissioning of a FOGO processing facility is dependent on the Queensland Government funding support for this project.

At this stage, we expect a third lime green lid bin to be made available to Moreton Bay residents for GO (garden organics only) in December 2024 (Stage 1).

This service will then transition to FOGO (food organics garden organics), using the same lime lid bin, when FOGO processing capacity is established in our region (Stage 2).

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Who will receive this service?

We expect to provide this service to all domestic and commercial residents in our region. It will follow a similar model to the yellow bin service (commingled recyclables).

See How will the GO and FOGO services work? for more details.

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Where will the material be processed?

The GO material (Stage 1) will be transported to and processed at one of our three major waste facilities, Caboolture, Dakabin or Bunya. 

A large facility with a footprint of around 55,000 square metres will need to be developed and built to process the FOGO material (Stage 2).

This will be located in our region, providing jobs during its construction and operation for many years to come. 

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What will this service cost residents?

Similar to our current general and recycling bin collection services, there will be a collection charge for the GO and FOGO kerbside collections. We already incentivise residents to increase the size of their recycling bin and reduce the size of their general waste bin, in line with the objectives of the State Waste Strategy. The final cost is still to be determined and will be communicated to the community as decisions are made.

GO and FOGO kerbside services offer an alternative to landfill and promote a circular economy. In 2019, the Queensland Government introduced a landfill waste levy for commercial waste. From 1 July 2023 the levy will be gradually introduced to domestic waste disposed to landfill.

The GO and FOGO services will not attract a waste levy, providing residents with an easy way to avoid visiting waste facilities with their green waste or paying more for their domestic waste to go to landfill in the future.

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How will the FOGO service work?

The GO service consists of a third bin with a lime green lid (240L) collected once a fortnight, on the alternate week to the yellow lid commingled recyclables bin. Residents can choose to have more than one GO bin. 

All residential single unit dwellings (SUDs) with an area between 300 square metres and 2000 square meters will require a GO service. These properties can opt-out if the applicant can demonstrate: 

  • use of a professional gardener, or
  • compost of all garden organics onsite or within SUD property, or
  • use of a contractor to remove GO material from SUD property.

Other residential properties can opt-in to the GO service at any time by submitting a GO service application.

The FOGO service will consist of a third bin with a lime green lid (140L or 240L), which will be collected once a week. Residents can choose to have more than one FOGO bin. 

We will provide more details about how these services will operate closer to the actual delivery of this service.

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What can go into the GO and FOGO bins?

Items suitable for the new GO bin (lime green lid) include:

  • tree, shrub or plant branches or offcuts small enough to be contained in 240L GO bin
  • leaves and other trimmings
  • grass clippings
  • any other garden organics.

Items NOT accepted in the new GO bin (lime green lid) include:

  • dirt, gravel, rocks, concrete, bricks, or pavers
  • plastic bags of any kind
  • food waste of any kind
  • human or animal waste/droppings
  • medical waste
  • any other non-organic material.

Items accepted in the new FOGO bin (lime green lid) include:

  • tree and shrub branches or offcuts small enough to be contained in the 140L or 240L FOGO bin
  • leaves and other plant trimmings
  • grass clippings
  • organic food scraps, including meat, bones or seafood products
  • Council provided (only) kitchen caddy liner compostable bags
  • other organic materials, including meat products which may be generated from a garden or kitchen
  • FOGO material that is accepted and approved under Queensland Government guidelines as amended from time to time.

Items NOT accepted in the new FOGO bin (lime green lid) include:

  • dirt, gravel, rocks, concrete, bricks, or pavers
  • non-approved compostable or non-compostable bags
  • human or animal waste/droppings
  • medical waste
  • compostable or non-compostable food packaging or any other packaging
  • any other organic materials which are not generated from a garden or kitchen
  • any other non-organic material
  • any materials not accepted or approved as FOGO under Queensland Government guidelines as amended from time to time.

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