FOGO – for high-rise

CBD residents can now improve their recycling by applying for a FOGO bin from the City of Melbourne. What is the secret of success?

If you have lived in the city for quite a while, you may not know that FOGO = Food Organics and Garden Organics recycling.

People who live in suburbia are familiar with the term and separate their recycling into the yellow (plastic bottles, cardboard, etc.,), red for general waste including plastic bags (a big problem yet to be solved) and green wheelie bins. The green is for all sorts of organic material including garden cuttings.

It is not often that the CBD is behind the suburbs. But not anymore. We can adopt practices that make it easier for people living in high rise, to live more sustainably thus protecting our environment. Aim is to reduce landfill. Recycle valuable organic waste and converting it to fertiliser.

How to adopt FOGO

Start with a wheely bin in the bin room or even in the car park. In most buildings the rubbish chute takes only general waste. Some have two chutes, one for general and one for recycle. In our old building we have a small bin in the chute room for recycle which is emptied daily by the cleaner.

What is the secret?

The magic of the kitchen caddy. For all those high-rise cooks out there, the caddy is so convenient. Put in the kitchen sink as you cut up food, scraps go into the caddy as you go. Flick of the wrist is all it takes. More importantly, everything organic goes in there. Here is a list.

• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Cooked and raw meat
• Solid dairy – butter and cheese
• Bread, cereal, rice and pasta
• Coffee grounds and loose leaf tea leaves
• Paper towel

There is a trick here. Line the bin first with a normal small plastic bag. Then add the composable green bag over the top. This bag is used to house your organic waste and is tied off before placing in your green bin. The plastic bag underneath keeps your caddy nice and clean and dry. The composable liner is not particularly waterproof. It is called a “compost-a-pak” and is 100 per cent compostable.

But wait. What is amazing is that all those troublesome bits and pieces in your flourishing balcony garden, can also go into the kitchen caddy!

Another bonus is the general waste bag under the kitchen bench is now light and airy as what is going to waste is mainly plastic and non-recyclable cardboard.

FOGO is a GO-GO

The City of Melbourne with are now on board with this concept. Contact them to arrange the supply of a green bin and some kitchen caddies and bags. Then talk to residents. Not all will follow but the ideas will catch on. It is not too difficult to make a journey to the green bin now and then to empty your magic kitchen caddy.

For more information: Source Separation Systems.

Next Forum 3000

Thursday, May 7, 2026, 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Kelvin Club, 14-30 Melbourne Place.

Topic: Trivia Night with Artur Hadja

Always popular with our members. Guests welcome. Come ready for a brain teaser night and lots of fun. Prize for the winning team.

Further details will be found on our website: residents3000.org.au •