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We collect food and garden waste (FOGO) from bins at residential and commercial properties.

FOGO bin

Our FOGO bins are dark green with a lime green lid. They're collected weekly.

Use the FOGO bin for your food and garden waste. We collect it and turn it into compost to be used on farms, parks and gardens.

What can go in the FOGO bin

  • Most food waste such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products, eggshells, spoiled food, loose tea leaves and coffee grounds.
  • Most garden waste such as leaves, lawn clippings, weeds and small twigs and branches (up to 75 mm in diameter). Don't put garden waste in a bag.
  • Most dirty or wet cardboard and paper, such as newspaper and tissues.

What can't go in the FOGO bin

These are the top items that can't go in the FOGO bin:

  • tea bags
  • any kind of plastic
  • nappies
  • pet poo
  • stickers on fruits and vegetables. 

For a full list of items we do and don't collect in your FOGO bin, check our A to Z recycling and waste guide.

FOGO caddy

Your FOGO caddy (a small kitchen caddy) makes it easy to collect food waste in your kitchen and then empty it into your FOGO bin.

It's not necessary to line your FOGO caddy. But if you choose to, you can line it with:

  • a paper bag
  • a newspaper
  • paper towels
  • an accepted, certified caddy liner, which:
    • must be labelled as 'compostable'
    • must be made from 100% corn starch
    • displays both AS5810 and AS4736 codes.

Some examples of accepted liners include:

  • 8 L Compost-A-Pak liners
  • BioBag 8 L rolls
  • Maze 9 L Slim Compostable Bags
  • Multix Greener Mini Plant Based Compostable Bags
  • Cardia Compostable 8 L Kitchen Tidy Bags.
  • Council-supplied caddy liners, which you can pick up at these locations:
    • Customer Service Counter at 8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell
    • Greythorn Community Hub Library Lounge at 2 Centre Way, Balwyn North
    • Hawthorn Library at 584 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
    • Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre at 8 Warner Avenue, Ashburton
    • Kew Library at corner of Cotham Road and Civic Drive, Kew
    • Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre at 157 Union Road, Surrey Hills.

Waste charges for ratepayers

Each property that pays rates pays a yearly Waste Environment Levy. This covers our costs for providing waste services, including:

  • Weekly FOGO and recycling collection
  • Fortnightly general waste collection
  • Weekly commercial waste collection
  • Twice-yearly hard waste collection
  • Twice-yearly bundled green waste collection
  • Yearly Christmas tree collection
  • Emptying rubbish bins in parks, shopping precincts and public spaces
  • Operating the team that carries out these services
  • Running the transfer station
  • Transporting waste to landfill
  • Disposal costs and levies at the landfill site.

Properties that only have a recycling bin (no general waste bin) are charged the minimum waste bin levy.

Residents in multi-unit developments with shared bins pay a waste charge based on how many bins are at the property.

Residential properties that cancel their bin service, as well as commercial and residential properties with a private waste collection, aren’t exempt from the Waste Environment Levy.

Bin collection

Collection times

Collections start from 5:00 am on main roads and 6:00 am for residential streets, in line with EPA guidelines.

Collections may start earlier on residential streets when we're aware of major works (like gas works or road resealing) that limit street access, but only as a last resort.

How to put your bin out

Put your bin out the night before your collection day, making sure it is:

  • on the nature strip
  • close to your driveway
  • clear of all obstacles, such as trees, poles and parked cars
  • facing the street with the bin handle toward your property.

See Find your bin day page.

Public holidays

Bins are collected as usual on all public holidays except Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday.

To find your alternative bin collection dates on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday:

Find out more

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