Free compostable bin liners available now!
Albany residents who receive a kerbside bin service (excludes Cheynes Beach) can now collect one free roll of 75 compostable liners for their kitchen caddy*. Liners can be collected from Fossicker's Tip Shop at the Hanrahan Road Waste Facility between 8.30am and 4.15pm, 7 days a week. If the shop is closed, you can still collect your liners from the staff in the receivals area. *Limit of one roll per household during each 6 month distribution period.
Can't make it to Fossicker's? Please contact our Waste Team and we will assist you: [email protected] or 68203000.
Your FOGO bin service
Albany’s residential bin collection service is a 3-bin Food Organics & Garden Organics (FOGO) system.
Food scraps and other organic waste like animal droppings and shredded paper go in your lime green lidded bin, along with your garden prunings. The contents of the FOGO bin are collected, composted and turned into a soil improver that will initially be used on timber plantations and, in the future, on City precincts.
Using the FOGO system diverts an estimated 30% - or 2,300 tonnes - of our household waste from landfill each year. Collecting this food waste and composting it instead helps reduce harmful greenhouse gases and leachate run-off.
To check your schedule, visit our Waste Collection page or download the Recycle Right app.
For more information about FOGO, check out our helpful video series or read on for answers to commonly asked FOGO questions!
You might also like to download some of our FOGO and waste resources:
What does FOGO mean?
FOGO stands for Food Organics & Garden Organics, and refers to the fortnightly collection of food scraps and garden organics, which are collected and turned into compost.
Why do we have a FOGO system?
The FOGO system helps you separate your waste at the source, so we can recover more as a resource to be used again instead of sending it to landfill.
Prior to FOGO, around 30% of Albany’s household waste was food scraps and other organic material. When organic waste breaks down in landfill it releases methane (a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon) and moisture that creates a harmful leachate when combined with rain and condensation.
Going FOGO helps our community divert that waste away from landfill and create high quality compost instead, improving the impact we have on our environment. FOGO is part of the City of Albany’s commitment to a sustainable and progressive approach to waste management.
The FOGO system has been successfully implemented in metropolitan and regional councils in WA and across Australia and is a priority of WA’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Strategy 2030.
What happens to our FOGO waste?
Once collected from your kerbside, your FOGO waste will be taken to the Bakers Junction Waste Facility for initial screening and decontamination. Next, it is transferred to a composting facility in Palmdale (approximately 50km north east of Albany), where it is composted and matured using a windrow system. Initially the compost produced from FOGO material will be incorporated into soil improvers for use in plantation farming. It is expected that in the future these soil improvers will also be available for use in Albany parks and land rehabilitation and for home gardens.
What does my bin service look like?
Your household should have three bins:
- 240 litre lime-green lidded FOGO bin for all food scraps and garden clippings. Collected fortnightly, apart from 8 weeks in mid-December to mid-February when there is a weekly collection.
- 240 litre yellow lidded Recycling bin. Collected fortnightly on the alternate week to your FOGO bin.
- 140 litre red lidded General Waste bin for items that can’t be recycled or composted. Collected fortnightly with your FOGO bin, on the alternate week to your Recycling bin.
Households were provided with a kitchen caddy and a supply of compostable liners to help collect food scraps in the kitchen. If your household doesn't have a caddy, these can be purchased from a number of local retailers. The City may provide a resupply of compostable liners from time to time. Please contact the Waste Team on 68203000 for more information.
What is my collection schedule?
The collection schedule is:
- FOGO bin and General Waste bin one week, and
- Recycling bin the opposite week.
From mid-December to mid-February the FOGO bin will be collected weekly.
Need to check your bin schedule? Visit our Waste Collection page for options, or download the Recycle Right app and set up your own bin day reminders.
Why is the General Waste bin collected fortnightly?
Making the most of your FOGO bin means you put less rubbish in your General Waste bin. Most households using their FOGO bin for food and garden waste still have space in their General Waste bin at the end of the fortnight.
Check out our Tips to Reduce Waste and make sure you:
- Recycle your paper, cardboard, cans, plastic containers and glass bottles and jars.
- Take items such as batteries, light bulbs and e-waste to the drop off point at Fossicker's Tip Shop.
- Avoid excess packaging wherever possible.
For more information on reducing your household’s waste, visit www.wastesorted.wa.gov.au.
Our Waste Team offers free home visits to discuss your household's waste needs. Please phone 6820300 to book.
If you still need more bin space there is an option to add an additional bin collection to your annual rates. Please email [email protected] for information. If you're renting please contact your property manager.
Residents with extra waste due to medical needs can contact our Waste Team on 6820 3000 or [email protected] to discuss additional free options.
What goes in each bin?
Use our handy 'How to sort your waste' guide - pop it on your fridge for easy reference! This guide is also available in Italian, Filipino and Karen.
| FOGO BIN (lime green lid) |
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All food waste, including:
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- Fruit and vegetable scraps
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- Coffee grounds and tea leaves
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Other materials that can go into the FOGO bin:
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- Soiled paper, cardboard, napkins and tissues
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The contents of this bin will be composted, so it’s important to keep plastic and glass OUT. All food waste goes into your FOGO bin either in a compostable liner, wrapped in newspaper or loose in the bin. Please make sure all food packaging is removed and placed in the correct bin - plastic/foam packaging, stickers and labels will contaminate the compost.
Only use compostable liners as these will break down naturally during the composting process. Biodegradable or any other plastic bags/liners must NOT go in your FOGO bin as these will not break down.
| RECYCLING BIN (yellow lid) |
| Keep your recycling simple and remember only 5 things go in your recycling bin: |
- Paper (NO tissues or paper towel)
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- Plastic containers and bottles
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| Make sure that containers are rinsed with lids removed. All items should be put loose into your bin (not in bags). |
| GENERAL WASTE BIN (red lid) |
| This bin is for items that can’t be recycled or composted, such as: |
- Nappies and hygiene products
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- Small plastic items such as straws
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- Tetrapaks and long life milk cartons
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| DROP OFF ONLY |
| There are some items that should not go in ANY bin, including: |
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| You can drop these off at Fossicker’s Tip Shop at the Hanrahan Road Waste Facility, or look for recycling points at retail outlets around the City. |
For a full A-Z list of what goes in which bin, visit Recycle Right.
You can also contact the Waste Team on 6820 3000 or [email protected].
What if I don't have a FOGO bin?
While stocks last lime-green lidded FOGO bins are available from Fossicker's Tip Shop for the discounted price of $50. Pop in during shop opening hours to buy your bin (8.30am-4.15pm Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Please bring your proof of address. If you're renting, contact your Property Manager to ask them to organise one for you. For more information please email [email protected].
What is a kitchen caddy and how do I use it?
As part of the launch of the FOGO service, the City of Albany provided each household with a 7L kitchen caddy and a supply of certified compostable caddy liners. If you don't have a kitchen caddy, they can be purchased from a number of local retailers. The caddy can be used to collect food scraps in the kitchen. The liners can be placed inside the caddy to provide a barrier between the caddy and the food waste. Every few days (or once your caddy is full) you can tie the liner off and transfer to your FOGO bin.
Liners may be resupplied by the City from time to time. Please contact the Waste Team on 68203000 for more information. You can also use newspaper, or no liner at all – it’s up to you. If you choose to purchase additional liners, please ensure they are certified compostable and display this symbol:
Please do not use biodegradable or other plastic bags, as these will not break down and will contaminate the compost.
How can I make my compostable liners last longer?
Depending on the amount of food scraps you have, liners can last up to four days. When you need to change the liner, simply tie up and place in your FOGO bin.
Moisture can make them compost faster, so place newspaper or used paper towel at the bottom of your liner if your food scraps are wet. Store your liners in a cool and dry spot away from heat and sunlight.
Do I have to use the liners in the kitchen caddy?
No! Food scraps can be wrapped in newspaper or go straight into your caddy or FOGO bin. Rinse the caddy out after washing up the dishes, or you can pop it in the dishwasher.
Please only use liners with the compostable symbol above and do NOT use biodegradable or other plastic bags, as these will not break down and will contaminate the compost.
Our household doesn't have much food or garden waste - do we still need to use the FOGO bin?
Even if you don’t have a lot of food or garden waste, residents are encouraged to use the FOGO bin to ensure we can recover as much organic waste as possible.
We compost at home/have a worm farm/have chooks. Do we still need to use the FOGO bin?
That’s great! We encourage residents to compost and feed scraps to your worms and chooks at home. The FOGO bin can complement your compost heap as it can take the things that your compost heap can’t – like weed seeds, excess lawn clippings and leaves, meat, bones, citrus and dairy products. Compost heaps need the right blend of ‘green’ and ‘brown’ materials so if you’ve got excess of one type, you can add it to the FOGO bin, knowing that it will still be composted. Branches that are too thick for the compost heap can also be put in the organics bin (up to 25mm diameter).
Worms can be fussy eaters and often do not like onions, citrus, eggshells and potato peels and there are some things chooks shouldn’t be fed. You can add these things to the FOGO bin instead.
How can I keep my caddy fresh for longer?
- If using compostable liners, replace them every few days as they will start to break down.
- Don’t overfill your compostable caddy liners, to prevent breakage.
- Tie the caddy liner up securely before placing it in your lime green-lidded FOGO bin to reduce potential odours.
- Line the caddy with newspaper or paper towel to help soak up excess moisture if needed – these can go in your lime green-lidded FOGO bin too.
- Wrapping the bag in newspaper or paper towel can help stop sharp bones or prawn shells piercing the liner.
- Let hot substances cool first and dispose of your bin liner whenever you put in wet food scraps.
- Wash your caddy regularly- it can even go through the dish washer!
Top tips to reduce smells and deter insects in your FOGO bin
Check out our handy information sheet, or read on for some useful tips:
- To reduce odours, make sure you put your FOGO bin out for collection every fortnight, even if it’s not full.
- Food contaminated cardboard/paper e.g., pizza boxes, paper towel and tissues as well as shredded paper can go in your FOGO bin. These will help absorb moisture and reduce odour. (Just make sure not to include glossy cardboard as this may have a thin layer of plastic.)
- Wrap and place any smelly food scraps such as seafood shells in the freezer until the night before your collection day.
- Keep your bins in the shade with lids tightly closed.
- Make sure there are no holes in the bin - replace missing vents or tape over the holes.
- Layer cardboard, newspaper or green waste at the bottom of the FOGO bin to help absorb liquids and prevent waste sticking to the inside of the bin. If you’re using cardboard, make sure you remove any plastic or sticky tape before placing it in the bin.
- Where possible, allow lawn clippings and garden cuttings to dry out before going in the bin so your bin isn’t too heavy and cut garden waste to size so the lid can be closed.
- Try sprinkling baking soda, kitty litter, vinegar, oil of cloves or lemon juice into the bin after it has been emptied.
- Pick up pet poo with newspaper and then wrap in a compostable liner, or leave in a neat pile near your back fence before transferring to the bin the night before collection.
- Clean your bin regularly with hot soapy water. Citronella and tea tree oils are natural insect deterrents which can be dabbed around the top of the bin.
- Try using a bin deodoriser.
Top tips to reduce smells and deter insects in your General Waste bin:
- It’s not always practical, but where possible, tip nappy contents down the toilet before disposal.
- Wrap nappies tightly in a nappy sack or plastic bag before placing in the red bin.
- Keep your bins in the shade with the bin lids tightly closed.
- Squeeze excess air out of bin liners and tie off tightly before placing the bag in the bin.
- Try sprinkling baking soda, kitty litter, vinegar, oil of cloves or lemon juice into the bin after it has been emptied.
- Try using a deodoriser in the bin - available from most hardware stores.
- Clean your bin regularly with hot soapy water.
- Spray insect surface spray around the inside of the bin and lid to deter pests (not on your FOGO bin).
What about managing nappies?
Nappies should be placed in the red lidded General Waste bin.
Unfortunately nearly all bins smell a bit, particularly bins containing nappies. However, research has shown that nappies smell progressively worse for four days and then do not smell any worse (or better) after that. A waste bin containing nappies smells no worse after 14 days than after 7 days!
There are a number of things you can do to reduce the odour in your bin:
- Wrap the nappy into itself using the tabs.
- Seal nappies tightly in plastic bags (you can use scented bags) before placing in the garbage bin.
- It's not always practical, but where possible, tip the contents of the nappy down the toilet before disposing.
- Store your garbage bin in the shade and out of direct sun if possible.
- Make sure your bin lid closes properly and there are no cracks in the bin sides.
- Consider using odour neutralising products in your bin, including cat litter or bicarbonate of soda.
- Reusable cloth nappies are a great option. Whether using them part-time or full-time, they can help to save space and reduce odours in the garbage bin. Check out the City's Reusable Nappy Rebate Trial.
If you have tried other methods to manage smells and you are still struggling please contact the Waste Team on 68203000 or [email protected] for further assistance.
My circumstances make it difficult to separate waste properly, can alternative services be made available?
We understand that in some circumstances residents may require additional options or support. Please get in touch to discuss what tailored solutions can be provided.
Contact the Waste Team on 68203000 or email [email protected].
How do I remove the bio-insert from my lime green lidded Garden Waste bin?
Some households have a lime green lidded Green Waste bin with a bio-insert that was designed to collect moisture in the bottom of the bin. Unfortunately, branches and sticks can wedge in the frame of the insert and prevent your garden waste from sliding out when picked up by the collection truck. Newer bins don’t include the insert and are a lot less likely to get jammed.
To make sure food and garden waste slides out of the bin easily during clearance please check whether your bin has a bio-insert and, if it does, follow these simple steps:
1. Vents are attached to the frame inside the bin – In order to free them, give the vents a tap with a hammer on the outside of the bin or push them through using the handle of the hammer.
2. Once you have pushed all the vents inside the bin, lift the insert out in one piece.
3.Remove each of the vents on the insert by carefully cutting them off with a hacksaw or snips.
4.Snap the vents back into the bin using your hammer or a mallet.
Once you have removed the insert you can reuse it in the vegie garden as a trellis or drop it to Hanrahan Road Waste Facility for recycling – it must NOT go in your kerbside recycle bin.
If you need help to remove the insert please contact the City of Albany’s Waste Team on [email protected] or phone 6820 3000.
Where do I go for more information?