Ipswich City Council's FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) service is changing to Garden Organics (GO) only. Have your say about the changes at Shape Your Ipswich.
FOGO is changing to GO
In 2019/2020, council found that 15,500 tonnes of compostable organics were being lost to landfill. This is enough to fertilise all the land in Ipswich!
To change this, we explored the introduction of FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) through a successful trial period at Bellbird Park and Raceview. Since the trial, almost one third of the Ipswich community have opted in for the service.
Interestingly, we have found that Ipswich households are much more likely to use the bins for garden organics, rather than food organics. In addition to this, the Queensland Government is responding to community concerns around waste odours, and are looking to change environmental standards for composting. With these changes, food organics will be considered highly odorous, and will require significant infrastructure upgrades to process.
Based on this, Ipswich City Council’s FOGO service is transitioning away from the collection of food organics (meat, dairy, food scraps and eggshells). The FOGO bins will remain at households and continue as GO bins (grass clippings, leaves, small branches and weeds).
Why is council making this change?
Ipswich has been a leader in food organics as part of the opt-in green waste household waste collection.
Participating residents have demonstrated positive behaviours in diverting their food scraps from landfill through the FOGO service. However, there have been recent significant developments in the waste industry as well as proposed legislative changes by the State Government that would classify food organics as ‘highly odorous’.
The council and our community have been strong advocates for substantial changes in organic composting processes to address the odour issues faced by our residents. As a result, council has decided to cease food organics as part of the green lid bin service until such time as these external issues are resolved.
With this decision finalised your green lid FOGO bins will now be known as a Garden Organic (GO) bin.
What does this mean for my green lid bin?
The green lid bin at your household will continue to be used for the collection of garden organics such as grass clippings, leaves, small branches and weeds. These items are the vast bulk of material currently collected in green lid bins.
As such, we anticipate there will be minimal impact for most residents with this opt-in service. All other aspects of your service will remain unchanged, including bin collection days and schedules.
When does the change take place?
From 30 September, the now known as GO service will no longer accept food organics in the green lid bin.
Alternate Food Organics Recovery Programs:
Council is considering and investigating potential food recovery programs. If you have feedback or ideas visit Shapeyouripswich.com.au/organics
Cost of service
For services commenced by property owners/managing agents:
- 240-litre GO service - $20.00 per quarter
There are no further charges for this service. Charges will appear on the rates account and the billing will start when the collection service commences. Property owners/managing agents must commit to the service for a minimum of 12 months from service commencement - after this time, the service can be cancelled at any time.
How to apply for a GO service
- Homeowners
If you are interested in applying for a GO service, please submit your service request online via MyIpswich or contact Council on (07) 3810 6666. - Tenants
Contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 to arrange payment for the service. - Units/townhouses
The building manager or body corporate of the units/townhouses can submit the GO service request online via MyIpswich or contact Council on (07) 3810 6666.
GO bin service schedule
The service is offered on a fortnightly basis using 240-litre GO bins with a lime green lid. Service days are the same day as the residents’ normal general waste collection service, and on the alternate week to the recycling service. The GO bin must be correctly placed on the kerbside in the same manner as the general waste and recycling bins.
Items suitable for GO waste bins
Acceptable items:
- prunings and grass clippings
- shrubs
- weeds
- leaves and loose bark
Note: materials must be placed loose in the bin and NOT in plastic bags or boxes.
Unacceptable items:
- No plastic bags
- No general waste or recycling
- No stones, concrete or masonry
- No large logs, branches and stumps that that may make the bin too heavy to service
GO resources
Click to view the Kerbside Bin Service flyer
Expansion of council's GO service
Ipswich is proud to be moving to a city-wide Garden Organics (GO) collection as a part of the 3-bin core service.
This will allow residents to recycle their garden organics by disposing them separately from general waste.
This city-wide GO rollout is expected to begin in 2025/2026.
This initiative received funding from the Queensland Government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund.
What is changing with the GO service provided by Council?
The current opt-in Garden Organics (GO) service will be expanding to a city-wide core service. This will mean an additional green lid GO bin will be included to the regular kerbside general waste red lid and co-mingle yellow lid bin collections. This will be a fortnightly service alternating with recycling collection.
This change will allow Ipswich to make improvements towards higher recycling rate by diverting valuable organics from landfill.
Why is Council adding a kerbside collection service and what are the benefits?
Ipswich City Council is also looking to expand its Garden Organics (GO) from 2025/26. The exact dates for the implementation of the GO service have not been finalised yet.
To stay up to date with all things Resource Recovery related you can download the Ipswich Bin App and sign up for updates and announcements via the Resource Recovery in Ipswich Shape your Ipswich page.
Households are still able to commence an opt-in user pays GO service prior to 2024/25 if they wish.
When will the citywide GO service begin?
Ipswich City Council is also looking to expand its Garden Organics (GO) from 2025/26. The exact dates for the implementation of the GO service have not been finalised yet.
To stay up to date with all things Resource Recovery related you can download the Ipswich Bin App and sign up for updates and announcements via the Resource Recovery in Ipswich Shape your Ipswich page.
Households are still able to commence an opt-in user pays GO service prior to 2024/25 if they wish.
Will there be any changes to the red lid general waste or yellow lid comingled recycling bin services?
The introduction of the GO service will not impact the existing kerbside collection services. Residents are encouraged to continue using the recycling as usual by separating recyclable materials from general waste and placing them in their yellow top recycling bins.
The GO service is specifically designed to collect organic waste and promote resource recovery.
Please refer to the council website for the most up-to-date information.
Can I use my own compost bin instead of the GO bin?
Residents are always encouraged to compost at home, this is highly efficient and creates a useful product for reuse at home.
The GO service can be seen as complimentary to home composting, if you are already doing that, and provides additional capacity if not everything can be dealt with at home, such as large volumes of grass clippings or weeds.
Will the service change for residents who have already opted in to GO?
No, residents who have already opted into the GO service will not experience any changes. Their existing service will remain the same.
Can businesses or commercial entities participate in the GO service?
The core GO service is being implemented for residential properties. However, it is possible that in the future, Council recognises the important part businesses and commercial properties play in recovering organic materials.
Council is still considering how it may include businesses and commercial entities. Information about the processes, eligibility and participation of non-residential properties will be communicated separately, once finalised.
FAQs
If you can't find the answer to your questions on this page, contact Council on (07) 3810 6666.
What is GO?
GO stands for Garden Organics material. GO bins are designed for all of your garden waste. This organic waste is collected fortnightly and then turned into compost at a local composting facility. This compost is then returned back to the environment through various outlets, such as agriculture.
Why are we transitioning from FOGO to GO?
When the council initiated the FOGO program, we were doing so in line with the Queensland Government's Organics Strategy. However, the issues with odour, contamination, and the lack of compliant organic processors in the market have proven more significant than expected.
Queensland’s environmental regulator, the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI), has identified Food Organics (FO) as a source of odour at organic processing facilities. As such, Ipswich City Council has decided to temporarily pause the collection of household Food Organics.
This pause will remain in effect until we can ensure that the processing of these materials is safe, compliant, and financially sustainable.
I already have a FOGO bin, what does the transition from FOGO to GO mean for me?
All green lid bins will stay at households and collection schedules will remain the same.
The only change households with green lid bins are that they will no longer be able to be used for food organics. Garden organics will continue to be accepted in the green lid bins.
The diversion of food waste is very important however due to recent legislative changes and the operational impacts of those, we are asking residents to avoid placing the food component in their organics bin.
Letters will be sent to all residents who currently have an Opt-in FOGO service (including tenants). The letter will detail the changes and why and provide detail regarding acceptable items for the GO service. This will not require any physical changes to the bins or the service. A copy of this letter can be seen here.
What happens if we continue to put food organics into the light green lid bin?
We encourage residents to follow the new guidelines that the council has provided to ensure efficient waste management that benefits all the community.
Like any other material we don’t want in a bin, high volumes of that material may end up in landfill.
What if I no longer require the GO collection service?
If you have a rated GO service (i.e. are a property owner or managing agent) Once the GO service commences, you are committed to the service for 12 months. If, after the 12 months have elapsed, you decide you no longer require the GO service, you can cancel at any time by contacting Council.
If you have a pre-paid GO service (i.e. are a tenant): No refunds will be provided once payment has been made for the service. If you decide you no longer require the GO service, contact Council to arrange for your bin to be removed.
Can I have more than one GO bin?
Yes, you can contact Council to arrange for an additional GO bin. However, you will need to ensure that there is enough space for you to store the bin at your property and that there is room at the front of your property for the additional bin to be placed at kerbside for servicing.
Standard charges apply for each GO service you commence. The service day will remain fortnightly on the alternate week to your recycling collection day.
What if I have too much garden material for my GO bin?
If your GO bin is too full or too heavy, it may not be serviced. You can continue to take garden waste to the Riverview and Rosewood Recycling and Refuse Centres, where it will be mulched and turned into compost. Alternatively, you can apply for an additional GO bin.
Why has my GO bin not been serviced?
Your GO bin will not be serviced if it is too heavy or has the wrong materials inside. It is essential that only accepted materials go into the GO bin. Items such as plastic bags, boxes, general waste, soil, etc. will contaminate food and garden waste making it unsuitable for composting purposes. If GO bins continue to be contaminated, the bin may be removed from the property.
I currently rent property in Ipswich - can I apply for a GO bin?
Yes - contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 to arrange payment for the service
If I move house, what will happen to my GO service?
If you move house, please contact Council to have the GO bin removed and, if relevant, the charges taken off the rates. You can then apply to Council to have another GO bin delivered to your new property