NSW Government introduces food waste mandate

RMIT University Media Release

NSW has just passed landmark legislation, becoming the first state to implement a statewide mandate for Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling that will divert food waste from landfill into compost.

Dr Bhavna Middha, Senior Research Fellow, College of Design and Social Context says that:

“The mandate is a good step in the right direction, and it comes after the federal government abandoned its initial target for food organic waste collection, changing it from 2023 to 2030.

“The key points to be noted are:

1. The mandate includes apartments and multi-unit developments, although much more may be required to collect food waste from those sites.
2. We will need to tackle contamination, which has been a barrier to using food waste as good quality compost.
3. Ongoing education campaigns will be needed and should include retailers, waste service providers and building managers, along with households, to be more effective.
4. Including institutions and businesses means that standardised practices are encouraged across home and work/study sites, which is essential for routines to form.

“Apartments have not received much attention in previous FOGO campaigns and there are several reasons why they have low food waste collection rates. Our research found the smell in confined areas, the onus of taking food waste down in lifts and to common areas, and fears of pests and diseases especially in summer are all barriers. Even with the best of intentions and knowledge, many apartment dwellers are not able to collect and dispose of food waste properly.

“The NSW government doesn’t allow any biodegradable, compostable or bioplastics in food waste or FOGO bins, but fibre-based (paper or newspaper) or compostable plastic kitchen caddy liners that comply with the Australian standard for commercial composting are allowed in kitchen caddies. This makes it easier for households to collect and dispose of their food waste into FOGO bins. This also reduces the contamination in food waste as excessive biodegradable products were impacting the safe application of the compost.

“I have previously commented that the Victorian government is preparing a mandate for recycling and FOGO. We will now wait and see if Victoria and other states follow this mandate, and in which form.”

Bhavna Middha’s research focuses on exploring everyday shared practices around food, waste and energy in the context of sustainable consumption.

 

 

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