Mount Alexander Shire Council has approved major changes to household waste and recycling services, with a new Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) kerbside collection service and a dedicated glass recycling drop-off network to be introduced from July 2027.
Under Victorian Government reforms, councils are required to provide a FOGO service and separate glass from mixed recycling. The approved changes will ensure Mount Alexander Shire complies with these requirements while delivering local environmental benefits.
The changes will help reduce waste sent to landfill and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Council will provide an opt-out function to those who can demonstrate they are effectively managing their food and garden organics at home or through a community program.
In July 2027, the following changes will take effect
Lime-green-lid bin (FOGO)
- New weekly kerbside collection service
- Accepts food scraps and garden waste
- Organic material will be processed into valuable compost locally, instead of going to landfill
Red-lid bin (General waste)
- Collection frequency will change from weekly to fortnightly
- Households will be encouraged to use the FOGO service to divert food and garden waste from the general waste stream
Yellow-lid bin (Mixed recycling)
- No change to collection arrangements
- Will continue to accept items such as hard plastics, cardboard, paper, aluminium and steel cans
Glass recycling
- Glass bottles and jars will no longer be placed in mixed recycling bins
- Residents will be able to recycle glass at dedicated drop-off locations across the shire
Benefits of the FOGO service
Waste audits show that around one-third of the material currently placed in general rubbish bins across Mount Alexander Shire is food and garden organics.
By diverting this material into the new FOGO service, more organic waste can be turned into compost rather than being sent to landfill. Composting organic material is cheaper than landfill disposal and creates a valuable resource that helps return nutrients to local soils.
The new FOGO service is expected to divert up to 900 tonnes of organic waste from landfill each year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 1,035 tonnes annually.
Supporting local composting
Council recognises the strong culture of home composting, worm farming and community composting across the shire. The FOGO service is intended to complement these efforts, not replace them.
Residents who can demonstrate they are effectively managing their food and garden organics at home or through a recognised community composting program, such as YIMBY, will be able to apply to opt out of the FOGO service. Eligibility criteria and a possible rebate are currently being considered.
Why a glass drop-off network?
Council considered both kerbside and drop-off glass recycling models and determined a drop-off network is the most practical and cost-effective option for Mount Alexander Shire.
The introduction of Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme has significantly reduced the amount of glass entering household recycling systems, making a separate kerbside service less efficient. A glass drop-off network is estimated to cost around 80 per cent less than a kerbside glass collection service while still providing residents with an effective recycling option.
Council will work with older residents, people living with disability, residents without access to transport and community organisations to explore practical solutions that support accessibility and participation.
What happens next?
Council will now finalise contracts and continue detailed service planning. In early 2027, Council will confirm service costs, finalise FOGO opt-out arrangements and consult with the community on the location of glass drop-off sites. The new services are scheduled to begin in July 2027.
FAQs
How much will FOGO and Glass services cost?
Waste services are funded through the Waste Service Charge.
While detailed cost modelling has been undertaken, final costs have not yet been determined.
A number of factors still need to be confirmed, including:
- State Government levies
- Final contract arrangements
- Service design
- Number of households opting out of FOGO
- Administration requirements
Any changes to charges would be considered through the 2027/28 budget process.
Council's modelling indicates that diverting organics from landfill can help avoid increasing landfill disposal, transport and levy costs over the long term.
Council is committed to:
- Carefully managing costs
- Using long-term contracts to improve efficiency
- Reducing costs over time by lowering landfill disposal
Will I be able to opt out of FOGO?
Residents who can demonstrate they are effectively managing food and garden organics at home or through recognised community composting programs will be able to apply to opt out.
The eligibility criteria and application process are still being developed.
A rebate for approved opt-out households is currently being assessed.
Will renters be able to access the proposed FOGO service?
Yes. The FOGO service would be available to both renters and property owners in households that currently receive a waste collection service. Renters would receive the same FOGO bin and kitchen caddy as other households.
Can I put large branches in the FOGO bin?
Branches placed in the FOGO bin should generally be no thicker than 100mm in diameter, primarily to manage weight and collection requirements.
Detailed guidance will be provided before it commences.
Why not introduce a garden-waste-only service instead of FOGO?
The Victorian Government's four-stream waste model is based on a combined Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service. The proposed system is designed to collect food scraps and garden organics together and process them into compost.
Council's assessment indicates this approach provides greater landfill diversion and supports compliance with future waste service requirements.
Will larger bins be available?
The service includes a 140-litre FOGO bin for each household.
Council is also investigating different bin sizes and additional FOGO bin options to accommodate households with higher waste volumes. No final decisions have been made.
Why remove glass from mixed recycling?
When glass breaks inside mixed recycling bins, it creates small shards that contaminate paper, cardboard and other recyclable materials.
Separating glass into its own recycling stream helps improve the quality and value of other recyclable materials and reduces contamination throughout the recycling process.
Can I still put glass in my yellow-lid recycling bin?
No. Under the new system, glass bottles and jars would be taken to dedicated glass drop-off locations.
Paper, cardboard, plastics and metals would remain in the yellow-lid recycling bin.
What happens to the glass after I drop it off?
Glass collected through the drop-off network would be sent to specialist recycling facilities where it can be processed into products such as:
- New glass containers
- Construction materials
- Road base products
- Other recycled glass products
How will you make glass drop-off accessible?
Council will work with the following residents and groups to explore practical solutions that support accessibility and participation:
- Older residents
- People living with disability
- Residents without access to transport
- Community organisations
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