Community Embraces FOGO
Published on 02 August 2026
Community embraces FOGO
Glenelg Shire residents are already making a significant impact through Council's new Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service, with more than 272 tonnes of organic material diverted from landfill in the first three months of operation.
Introduced in April 2026, the kerbside FOGO service was rolled out across residential properties within designated collection areas following extensive planning, community feedback and community interest in improving waste recovery outcomes.
Between April and June 2026, Council collected 272.72 tonnes of FOGO material, while the amount of general kerbside waste sent to landfill fell from 922.28 tonnes during the same period in 2025 to 709.22 tonnes in 2026.
This represents a reduction of 213.06 tonnes, or 23.1 per cent, in landfill waste.
Mayor Cr Karen Stephens said the early results demonstrated strong community participation and highlighted the environmental benefits of the new service.
"These are outstanding results for the first three months of the FOGO service and reflect the commitment of our community to reducing waste and supporting more sustainable practices.
More than 272 tonnes of food and garden organics have been diverted from landfill, which is a significant achievement and demonstrates that residents are embracing the service.
Every food scrap, lawn clipping and garden trimming placed in a FOGO bin helps reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and supports better resource recovery outcomes for our region."
The FOGO service provides households with an additional option for disposing of food and garden organic waste, including materials such as meat, dairy products and cooked foods that are often unsuitable for traditional home composting systems.
The reduction in landfill waste supports Council's waste and circular economy objectives, while also helping meet Victorian Government kerbside waste reform requirements.
Mayor Stephens said Council would continue working with residents to build awareness and understanding of the service and best-practice resource recovery approaches.
"Change takes time, but these early figures show the community is already making a real difference. We thank residents for their participation and encourage everyone to continue making the most of the FOGO service."
Council will continue monitoring participation rates and waste diversion outcomes as the service becomes further established across the municipality.