Ipswich is a council area on the south-west edge of Brisbane, Queensland. It covers 1,090 square km and has over 250,000 people. The population is growing fast at 4.5% each year and includes many diverse groups.
Before the trial, council provided a landfill and recycling bin, with an optional food organics and garden organics (FOGO) bin. To prepare for a city-wide FOGO service, the council ran a trial from September 2021 to June 2024.
The trial involved 1,170 households in two suburbs, with different demographics. Council gave trial suburbs a 3-bin system, including a 240 L green FOGO bin. During the trial, council tested bin collection schedules. Communities preferred weekly landfill collection over fortnightly. The council used bin-tagging and truck checks to reduce contamination and improve FOGO use. They also provided educational material and spoke with residents to understand behaviour. Waste audit data was used to assess the effectiveness of different methods.
Insights and outcomes from the FOGO trial
The trial showed useful lessons for other councils. Marketing was simple and consistent but adapted for different community groups. Contamination rates could be different due to various demographics. Monitoring allowed council to target home visits and temporarily stop FOGO services. Council may even remove FOGO bins for persistent contaminators.
Bin audits showed more garden waste going into FOGO bins and less contamination over time. However, food waste diversion stayed low. Residents expressed concerns about wet food, vermin and odour. In 2024, Ipswich City Council decided it would not move to a city-wide FOGO service. However, it has implemented a city-wide three-bin system, which collects landfill, recycling and garden organics.
