Bass Coast Shire Council is asking the community to help keep our Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin system working at its best by keeping cardboard out of your green-lidded bin.
Council updates accepted materials in line with processor requirements and improvements across the recycling and organics industry, and we understand these changes can sometimes be confusing. From April 2026, cardboard is no longer accepted in our green-lidded FOGO bins.
While bin lids manufactured prior to 2024 may still list cardboard as an accepted item, this information is now outdated.
Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Rochelle Halstead said keeping FOGO free from contamination is key to making the system work.
"Keeping cardboard out of our FOGO bins helps us produce high-quality compost that can be used by local farmers and supports a healthier environment," Cr Halstead said.
"We know changes like this can take a bit of getting used to, but they reflect improvements in how materials are processed and recycled. Small changes at home can make a big difference, and we really appreciate our community's efforts to get it right."
Cardboard can impact both the sorting and composting process by:
- interfering with sorting equipment such as screens and conveyor belts
- containing inks, coatings, adhesives or staples that reduce compost quality
Cardboard is a valuable resource and is best placed in your yellow-lidded recycling bin, so it can be turned back into new cardboard products.
Residents and businesses are also asked to flatten cardboard boxes before putting them in their recycling bin. Excess cardboard can also be dropped off free of charge at any of Council's Waste and Recycling facilities:
- Cowes Recycling Bank
- Grantville Transfer Station and Landfill
- Inverloch Transfer Station
- Wonthaggi Transfer Station
Before recycling your cardboard, please ensure any tape is removed and placed in your general rubbish bin.
What can go in your FOGO bin?
Accepted items include:
- Out-of-date or inedible food (removed from packaging)
- Coffee grounds and loose-leaf tea
- Dairy products and baked goods
- Pet food
- Cooking oil soaked up with paper towel
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Meat, seafood, bones and eggshells
- Leaves, plants, grass and weeds
- Twigs and branches under 10 cm in diameter and up to 40 cm long
- Hay and straw
- Hair (human and animal) and feathers
- Paper towel, paper napkins and newspaper sheets
As a friendly reminder, until we are all used to the change, any green-lid bins that have cardboard in them will receive a reminder tag.
