Published on Wednesday, 8 June 2022 at 7:16:41 AM
The City of Greater Geraldton’s Food Organic Garden Organic (FOGO) trail that collects organic waste from 500 households from across the City will be extended by 12 months.
The continuation of the trial will enable the City to further educate participants on the important waste reduction initiative and evaluate the effectiveness of the program so an informed decision on a potential roll out of FOGO waste collection to the rest of the community can be made.
City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said the trial that started out well in May 2019 has suffered setbacks.
“Although initial interest from trial participants was very positive, as the trial progressed nearly half of them stopped putting their FOGO bin out for collection,” he said.
“Contamination rates begin to rise and then in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic hit making it difficult to engage with participants.”
The trial extension will provide an opportunity for an education program to be undertaken with FOGO participants and evaluate its impact on the contamination rates.
It will also enable the City to determine if the specialist compost contractor currently converting FOGO waste to compost can produce a quality end product that can be provided to the community.
Mayor Van Styn said reducing waste to landfill and lowering emissions are top Council priorities.
“Preserving our environment, reducing emissions and moving towards a circular economy are key focus areas in the State Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 and the City’s Strategic Waste Management and Recycling Action Plan,” he said.
“We are also working towards net zero emissions by 2030 and with organic waste rotting in landfill being our worst emitter this is an area we really need to focus on.”
For more information on the trial follow the CGG FOGO Trial Facebook page or visit the City’s website here
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