Sustainability Victoria, on behalf of the Victorian Government, provided a grant of $257,000 to the City of Melbourne to trial food dehydrators in high-rise residential buildings to reduce organic waste going to landfill. This 12-month pilot reduced the volume of organic waste by up to 80%, converting it instead into soil conditioner.
Over the past five years, Sustainability Victoria has partnered with towns and cities across Victoria, funding councils to develop local circular economy projects through the Circular Economy Councils Fund. More than 65 initiatives like this one are helping to cut landfill and make no waste the new normal.
The Problem
Each year in Victoria, households throw out 250,000 tonnes of food. When organic materials like food scraps end up in landfill, they generate methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. That's why FOGO bins are being rolled out across Victoria; keeping food waste out of landfill and turning your food scraps and garden clippings into recycled compost, which improves soil quality and helps our food grow.
In the City of Melbourne, 84% of residents live in high-rise apartments. With limited bin space and a lot of food waste being produced, collecting FOGO bins is problematic. The large number of high-rise apartments combined with narrow streets creates a logistical challenge that would require frequent truck collections of more than 3 times per week.
The Solution
The trial installed dehydrators in the high-rise buildings that can process food waste on-site. The dehydrator heats, shreds, and reduces food scrap size by up to 80%. The machines can treat 100kg of food waste in 24 hours, producing no unpleasant smell - in fact it has been described as a pleasant, earthy smell.
The dehydrated product is then collected and turned into fertiliser or an additive for dog food.
City of Melbourne Environment portfolio head Cr Davydd Griffiths says, 'This innovative pilot - the first of its kind in Australia - has taken this service to new heights, diverting more than 40 tonnes of food waste since we rolled out the pilot program in 2021.'
Challenges and learnings
Educate and engage residents
High-rise buildings have diverse populations with varying levels of recycling knowledge. Ensuring everyone used the dehydrators correctly required ongoing education and communication.
The pilot showed that with training and communication, residents could effectively use the dehydrators, reducing their food waste.
'We have been heartened by the enthusiasm and passion of residents who have been going the extra mile to ensure their food waste is recycled,' explains Cr Griffiths.
Overcoming infrastructure barriers
Whether a building had a waste chute or not made a big difference in how people used the dehydrator. If there was a waste chute where residents could dump all their waste without sorting it, they were less likely to take their food waste downstairs to the dehydrator. This meant the council project team had to work harder to convince residents of the program's benefits and keep them interested.
Having access to data increased use
After being trained in its use, residents use a key fob to operate the dehydrator. This meant the building managers could track who is using the service - and for those not using the service, project managers could design and target information to encourage them to do so.
People make the difference
The project required a dedicated manager from City of Melbourne. It was labour-intensive and complex to get off the ground.
It was essential to get the buy-in of building management and owners corporations, who often had concerns about running costs, however strong relationships with council officers and demonstrated results helped overcome this barrier.
'We are lucky to work with some incredibly dedicated building managers and residents who are motivated to reduce waste in their communities,' continues Cr Griffiths.
Next steps
The success of the initial pilot funded has led to an expanded trial for 8 apartment buildings that will run until 2026.
The findings from both trials will guide the implementation of a permanent FOGO service for 400 high-rise buildings in Melbourne, aiming for full rollout by 2030.
Funding and contribution to government targets
This project was supported through Sustainability Victoria's Circular Economy Councils Fund, delivered on behalf of the Victorian Government. The Victorian Government aims to halve organic material going to landfill by 2030 and ensure 100% of households have access to organic waste recycling services.
