General News
13 February, 2026
Council endorses FOGO rollout
THE HINDMARSH Shire residents have moved closer to having an additional dimension to their waste collection, with the February 4 council meeting voting on a report on the introduction of a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) kerbside collection service for urban properties.
The State Government has mandated that all councils implement the four-bin system by July 1, 2027, under the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021.
The intention was to reduce landfill waste and improve resource recovery, with all local councils required to implement FOGO kerbside collection services.
As a starting point to introducing this mandatory service to residents, the council undertook a public consultation via a survey on its “Have Your Say Hindmarsh” website in November and December 2025.
The survey provided the community with four collection frequency options to choose from for FOGO and general waste bins and asked them to choose their preferred option.
Overall, 145 survey responses were received 9.7 per cent preferred Option 1 (Weekly FOGO and Fortnightly General Waste Collection); 57.9 per cent preferred Option 2 (Fortnightly FOGO and Weekly General Waste Collection); 14.5 per cent preferred Option 3 (Fortnightly FOGO and Fortnightly General Waste Collection); and 17.9 per cent preferred Option 4 (Weekly FOGO and Weekly General Waste Collection).
Option 2 received the highest level of support across all townships and demographic groups, particularly from families with young children, and households concerned about odour, hygiene, and waste volumes during warmer months.
The council unanimously moved a motion supporting the community’s preference and ‘approved implementation of Option 2 of fortnightly FOGO and weekly general waste collection model for FOGO waste stream commencing at or before July 1, 2027'.
Reacting to the news, Rainbow resident Barbara Young said it was a positive move, something she and her husband had been used to in Wangaratta.
“We're quite happy to have it with the green waste,” she said.
“We've used it before when we lived in the north-east.”
She said she hoped council would give good information to residents about what can and can’t be put in the bin, and added one request.
“The thing we had in Wangaratta was there were these little green, compostable bags that the council gave us – they petered out, and then you bought your own,” Barbara said.
“They were used to – if people are concerned about smell – you used these bags to then bag up kitchen waste that you could then put in the bin.”
The council meeting affirmed the current collection frequency of recyclable (yellow lid) and glass (purple lid) bins will remain the same.
Deputy mayor Rosie Barker said they wanted to reflect community feedback.
“We heard clearly from residents that supporting more sustainable waste management is a priority,” she said.
“We also listened closely to the concerns conveyed by young families, particularly regarding the importance of maintaining weekly waste collection. This input has directly shaped the direction we are taking with the FOGO introduction to our towns.
“I want to thank everyone who took the time to share their views – your voice genuinely makes a difference."
With the process of rolling out FOGO bins in Hindmarsh still in its early days, council said they will continue to work with neighbouring councils to establish a local processing facility for the FOGO waste to be transported to.
New green-lidded bins will be purchased, and more information about the rollout of the new service will be communicated to the community later in the year.
For more information, please contact HSC Infrastructure Services director Ram Upadhyaya on 03 5391 4444 or by email at rupadhyaya@hindmarsh.vic.gov.au.