The McGowan Government has announced the 2021 Better Bins Plus: Go FOGO funding round for local governments to support the transition to three-bin FOGO kerbside collection services.
The additional funding builds on the success of a similar funding round delivered in 2020.
Local governments can apply for funding of up to $23 for each household receiving a three-bin FOGO collection service in the 2021-22 financial year.
The Better Bins Plus: Go FOGO program supports local governments to provide a three-bin FOGO service consisting of a red-lidded bin for general waste, a yellow-lidded bin for co-mingled recycling, and a green-lidded bin for food organics and garden organics.
More than 340,000 households in Perth and the South-West region have access to a three‑bin system through the previous Better Bins program. In most cases within the Perth metropolitan region, the third bin is used for garden organics (GO) only.
Better Bins Plus: Go FOGO builds on the success of the original Better Bins program by encouraging the next shift: from a three‑bin GO service to a three‑bin FOGO service. In addition, local governments with existing three-bin FOGO services can also apply for funding to continue to educate and engage the community to improve its kerbside service performance.
Some local governments have already adopted FOGO systems such as:
- the cities of Fremantle and Melville, and towns of Bassendean and East Fremantle
- the City of Bunbury and shires of Augusta Margaret River, Capel, Collie, Donnybrook-Balingup and Harvey.
Local governments committed to implementing FOGO services are:
- the cities of Bayswater, Belmont, Kalamunda, Serpentine-Jarrahdale and Vincent
- the City of Albany and Shire of Dardanup.
The State Government is also supporting the rollout of FOGO services through:
- new guidelines for the siting, design, construction and operation of composting facilities
- licensing of new composting operations which can safely receive materials while also protecting public amenity
- a reference group to provide advice on rollout issues including local government services, engagement and education, FOGO processing and market development.
For more information or to apply for this round of local government funding, visit http://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au or email [email protected].
Applications close on March 31, 2021.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Three-bin FOGO services can make a significant contribution to reducing waste in Western Australia, and councils that have introduced FOGO can increase recovery rates to more than 65 per cent.
"High performing FOGO services can make a significant contribution to achieving the State's recycling targets. Recycling also supports around three times more jobs compared to sending a similar amount of waste to landfill.
"FOGO is a fantastic waste reduction program and I encourage local governments and their communities to get behind this program, apply for funding for FOGO services and support our move towards more consistent and better performing waste management services.
"Funding can be used to offset the costs of providing kitchen caddies and compostable liners that in turn foster good in-home waste behaviours by householders."
