Cessnock Mayor Daniel Watton, with Maitland Mayor Philip Penfold and Singleton Mayor Sue Moore.
Cessnock City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Council have partnered to deliver a coordinated Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection service across the region, with weekly green bin collections starting from 30 June 2025.
The new service means households in all three local government areas can now place food scraps, such as vegetable peels, meat and dairy, in their green bins with garden waste for weekly collection and processing into high-quality compost rather than going to landfill.
This initiative meets the NSW Government requirement that all councils implement a weekly FOGO service by 2030 and aligns with each council's broader environmental and sustainability strategies and programs.
Maitland Mayor Philip Penfold said the coordinated rollout demonstrates what strong regional collaboration can achieve.
"This is one of the biggest steps we can take to reduce waste going to landfill. By combining our efforts, we've streamlined delivery and education for residents across the region," said Mayor Penfold.
"This is more than just a bin service. It's a meaningful shift in how our cities handle waste. We know that our residents care about the environment, and FOGO provides them with a simple and effective way to make a difference every week."
Cessnock Mayor Dan Watton said the service marks a significant milestone in local waste reform.
"FOGO is a game changer. We're proud to be delivering it across Cessnock, Maitland and Singleton and giving our communities a real opportunity to lead the way in reducing landfill and turning waste into something worthwhile," said Mayor Watton.
"FOGO will have significant long-term benefits for our environment, economy and community."
Singleton Mayor Sue Moore highlighted the simplicity of the new system for households.
"Households have received a kitchen caddy and compostable liners make it easier for people to collect food scraps as they go. Empty your caddy, liner and all, into your green bin every few days then put it out for collection weekly from 30 June," said Mayor Moore.
"We're here to support our communities through this transition, and there'll be ongoing education and information to help everyone make the most of FOGO."
A comprehensive education campaign is already underway to support residents with practical tips on what to put in the green bin, how to use caddies and the environmental benefits of composting for the region.
The campaign also ensures residents in each local government area are kept informed about operational details specific to their council.
A local effort all around, the councils are working with Solo Resource Recovery to manage weekly green bin collections and with Australian Native Landscapes (ANL) to process the materials into nutrient-rich compost.
FOGO Fast Facts
- FOGO means Food Organics and Garden Organics
- FOGO service starts: Monday, 30 June 2025
- Weekly green bin collections for food organics and garden organics
- Kitchen caddy and compostable liners supplied to all households
- Accepted FOGO waste includes: vegetable scraps, meat, bones, dairy, garden clippings
- Food waste diverted from landfill to reduce emissions and create nutrient-rich compost
- Waste collected by Solo Resource Recovery
- Compost processed by Australian Native Landscapes (ANL)
