Coolbinia’s 24-Week FOGO Trial

FOGO stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics. A FOGO bin can be used for food scraps as well as the garden waste that you currently put in your lime green lid bin. Instead of going to landfill, these materials are turned into high quality compost that can be used to improve soil.

A handy way to remember it is ‘If it didn't live or grow, it’s not FOGO’.

Across WA, many councils have introduced FOGO and some have faced challenges particularly with capacity concerns, service changes, and community readiness. By running a controlled, time‑limited trial, Stirling can take a measured, evidence‑based approach shaped by local experience.

Updating our current system to FOGO could help the City recover more of our household waste and reduce the amount of organic waste going to landfill.

FOGO can be a significant change for households, especially when it comes to collection schedules. Coolbinia offers an ideal place for a controlled, small-scale trial, with residents helping the City understand: 

• how well FOGO fits into everyday household routines 
• what challenges or barriers people face, and what support helps 
• how reliably the City can deliver the service 
• what the community’s honest experience reveals about broader suitability. 

Across the 24 weeks, we’re checking in through short surveys and listening closely to resident insights that will help shape the evaluation and any recommendations presented to Council.

Waste services outside Coolbinia will not change.

Within Coolbinia, the trial will follow the Waste Authority’s Better Practice Guidelines to properly test how FOGO works. The trial applies to single dwellings only, not apartments or multi-unit dwellings, because shared bin systems require different service arrangements.

Put simply, instead of putting your food scraps in the red lid general waste bin, you’ll place them in your lime green lid FOGO bin along with your usual garden waste. This bin will be collected weekly. This allows for more space in your red lid general waste bin, which will move to fortnightly collection during the trial.

Bin System for the 24-Week Trial: 15 May to 29 October 2026 

From 15 May, your existing lime green lid Garden Organics (GO) bin will become your FOGO bin.

Lime green lid FOGO bin (240L) - collected weekly

Use this bin for food scraps and garden trimmings, including:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps 
• Meat, bones and cooked leftovers 
• Eggshells, bread and dairy 
• Grass clippings 
• Flowers and weeds 
• Small branches and leaves 
• Compostable caddy liners.

Red lid general waste bin (140L) - collected fortnightly

Use this bin only for rubbish that cannot be composted or recycled. No food scraps.

Yellow lid recycling bin (240L) - collected fortnightly

No changes. Continue using this bin for accepted recycling items, including: 

• Paper 
• Cardboard 
• Cans 
• Glass bottles and jars 
• Plastic bottles and containers (rinsed, loose and with lids removed).

Most single dwelling homes should already have these bins. If you are missing a bin, need a repair or replacement, please get in touch as soon as possible.

Each household will receive a compact 7-litre kitchen caddy and compostable liners to easily separate food scraps in the kitchen and carry them to the lime green lid FOGO bin.

We understand that some residents may have specific household needs or conditions that require additional capacity. If this applies to you, our project team will work closely with you to find the most suitable option, including access to a larger red lid bin if required.

You don’t need to organise anything right now. The City will deliver your free kitchen caddy, compostable liners, and simple instructions before the trial begins, telling you what exactly to put in each bin and when to put it out.

For now, you can simply learn more about FOGO through this webpage. We also encourage you to complete the quick pre-trial survey and join the City’s Coolbinia FOGO Trial Facebook Group to connect with your community, ask questions, and receive updates.

You can start separating food scraps into your caddy from Friday 15 May, with the first lime green lid FOGO bin collection scheduled for Thursday 21 May.

At the end of the trial, Coolbinia residents will be supported to return to normal waste services and collection while the City undertakes a thorough evaluation of the 24-week FOGO trial. This evaluation will consider:

• resident experience and satisfaction
• participation and contamination trends
• operational and processing outcomes
• environmental benefits and landfill reduction
• feasibility, practicality and alignment with community needs. 

The findings will then be brought together in a detailed evaluation report presented to Council to help inform future decisions about waste services across the City of Stirling. 

How will I fit everything in?

Most households find they can comfortably manage their waste once food and garden organics are separated into the lime green lid FOGO bin.

Waste audits in the City have shown that more than half of the material placed in red‑lid general waste bins is food and garden organics, with a further 25 per cent made up of recyclable items.

Sorting waste into the correct bins significantly reduces how much ends up in general waste.

With food and garden organics removed, your red lid bin will mainly contain dry items such as non‑recyclable packaging, soft plastics, personal hygiene products, damaged clothing and small amounts of residual waste. This makes it much easier to manage general waste across a fortnightly collection.

Yellow lid recycling bin upgrades from 240 litres to 360 litres are also available, if needed.

You can also use the Recycling Centre Balcatta, which is open seven days a week, to drop off excess cardboard and polystyrene packaging free of charge.

What if I need additional capacity?

We understand that some households may have specific needs. If you require extra bin capacity during the trial, our project team will work with you to find a suitable solution. This may include access to a larger red lid general waste bin if required.

Why isn’t the trial available for apartments and units?

Multi‑unit complexes often use shared bin systems, which require a different service approach. Some smaller properties also do not have a Garden Organics (GO) bin, which is required for a FOGO service. As this is a short‑term trial, units and apartments have been excluded so we can focus on testing the core FOGO service model.

If you live in a multi‑unit complex, your existing bin arrangements and collection schedules will continue as usual.

What’s my collection schedule?

For single‑dwelling homes, your collection day will remain Thursday throughout the trial. The only change is how often each bin is collected:

• Your lime green lid FOGO bin will be collected weekly
• Your red lid general waste bin and yellow lid recycling bin will be collected fortnightly on alternate weeks

This means you’ll present two bins each week:

• One week: FOGO + recycling
• The next week: FOGO + general waste

When your kitchen caddy and compostable liners are delivered, you’ll also receive a FOGO Trial collection calendar to place on your fridge for easy reference.

For multi‑unit complexes, there are no changes. Your current bin arrangements and collection schedules will continue as usual.

What if my bin is missed?

Bins are collected between 6am and 6pm. If your bin was out on time and it was missed, please report it within 48 hours so we can organise a return collection. You can report a missed service and other bin maintenance issues through the City’s website or by calling (08) 9205 8555.

Will the trial cost me anything?

No. There are no additional costs for residents taking part in Coolbinia’s 24‑week FOGO trial.

You should already have the required bins. If you are missing a bin or need a replacement, please contact us so this can be arranged before the trial begins. Your compact 7‑litre kitchen caddy and compostable liners will also be delivered to your home at no cost.

How can I prevent odours?

Your FOGO bin is used for food waste that can smell as it breaks down, such as meat scraps, seafood, bones, dairy and other food leftovers. To help manage odours, the FOGO bin is collected weekly.

To help minimise odours, keep your bin lids closed and store your bins in a shaded position if possible. If your bin starts to smell, giving it an occasional hose-out with a small amount of dish detergent can help keep odours under control.

Research shows that odours in FOGO and general waste bins typically peak after four days. After this period, the odour intensity generally does not get significantly better or worse.

What can I line my kitchen caddy with?

You will receive enough certified compostable liners to last the duration of the trial, and you can request more if needed. You can also choose to use your caddy with no liner at all – simply place food scraps directly into the caddy and rinse it out, or wash it in the dishwasher.

If you choose to purchase additional liners, please make sure they are certified compostable to AS 4736. Look for the seedling logo on the packaging. Liners labelled as biodegradable, oxo‑degradable, partially plant‑based, or made from recycled or ocean plastic are not accepted in the FOGO system. These products contain plastic and can contaminate the compost.

How do I use my kitchen caddy and compostable liners? 

Your kitchen caddy is an important part of the FOGO system, helping you to separate food scraps from your general waste and recyclables right in your kitchen. Place your food scraps into the kitchen caddy, either loose or using a certified compostable liner. Every two to three days, or when the caddy is full, empty the contents (including the liner) into your lime green lid FOGO bin.

Compostable caddy liners are designed to start breaking down within a few days when exposed to moisture, so it’s important to change them regularly. To prevent spills or the liner splitting, carry the caddy to your bin and tip the contents in, rather than carrying a full liner on its own.

Store compostable liners in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. When stored correctly, they have a shelf life of around 12–18 months. Your kitchen caddy can be washed by hand or placed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

My kitchen caddy is damaged, how can I organise a replacement? 
Contact the City on (08) 9205 8555 or the General Enquiry Form to arrange for a repair or replacement to be delivered. 

Can I put compostable containers and plant-based plastics in my FOGO bin?

No. Even if plant‑based plastics (such as PLA) are labelled compostable or biodegradable, they are not accepted in the FOGO bin. Solid bioplastics and single-use foodware marked compostable – such as cutlery, coffee cups, takeaway drink cups and containers – take much longer to break down than the FOGO composting process allows. These items should be placed in your red lid general waste bin. Wherever possible, we encourage choosing reusable alternatives, such as a keep cup or reusable cutlery set.

What if I already compost / worm farm at home? 

If you already compost or have a worm farm at home, we encourage you to continue. Home composting and worm farming are the best outcomes, turning your organic waste into nutrient‑rich compost you can use in your garden. The FOGO service works alongside home composting and worm farming by providing a way to dispose of items that you may not want to put into household systems, such as meat, bones, seafood, dairy, cooked foods and excess garden waste. If you use a bokashi system, you can also place the finished fermented bokashi waste into your FOGO bin.

 

How are the FOGO bin contents getting processed?

The contents of your lime green lid FOGO bin are taken to our contractor’s transfer station, where they are loaded into bulk containers and transported to a licensed commercial composting facility. At the facility, FOGO material is composted for around 18-20 weeks using a modern, enclosed composting system that carefully controls air and moisture. The material is laid over special pipes, and air is gently blown through it to keep the compost healthy and odour‑controlled. Larger pieces are then screened out and sorted. The mature compost is used in landscaping and agriculture, where they help improve soil health, reduce water loss, and add valuable nutrients. It can also be mixed with other soil amendments to become a bagged soil improver or potting mix product.

What if I have a larger red lid general waste bin?

If your household currently has a larger red‑lid bin, you can continue using it during the trial. The only change is that it will be collected fortnightly. If you need help sorting your waste or have any questions, please contact the City for assistance.

Can I opt out of the trial?

No. Collection rounds will be adjusted to support the FOGO trial in Coolbinia, so all households involved will need to follow the new collection schedule.

All single‑dwelling homes in Coolbinia are included in the 24‑week trial so we can collect consistent feedback on what works well, what doesn’t, what feels easy, and any challenges residents experience.

During the trial, the red lid general waste bin will move to a fortnightly collection. Choosing not to use the FOGO system would mean food scraps remain in a bin that is not emptied weekly. Using the weekly FOGO collection helps keep your general waste bin fresher and easier to manage.

Our team will be available to support you throughout the trial and help answer any questions along the way.

Where can I get more information and keep up to date? 

You can stay up to date by visiting this webpage or joining the City’s Coolbinia FOGO Trial Facebook Group. The group is a great place to connect with your community, ask questions, and receive updates throughout the trial. If you’d prefer to get in touch directly, you can call us on (08) 9205 8555 or submit an enquiry via the General Enquiry Form – whatever suits you best.

Coolbinia’s 24‑Week FOGO Trial is for residents in single dwelling homes only.

You don’t need to organise anything right now. Before the trial begins, the City will deliver a free kitchen caddy, compostable liners, and simple instructions to your home.

In the meantime, you can learn more about FOGO on this webpage. We also encourage you to complete the quick pre‑trial survey and join the City’s Coolbinia FOGO Trial Facebook Group to connect with your community, ask questions, and receive updates.

You can start separating your food scraps into your kitchen caddy from Friday 15 May, with the first lime green lid FOGO bin collection taking place on Thursday 21 May.