Bega Valley Shire Council, New South Wales (NSW), is leading from the front with its introduction of the Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) kerbside collection service and the community’s willingness to embrace change is demonstrated in record low contamination rates.
Since introducing a weekly FOGO service and a fortnightly landfill service to 12,000 residents in October 2018, contamination rates have been consistently low and are currently at 0.4 percent.
In addition, the expected diversion of household waste from landfill thanks to FOGO and other waste initiatives is now tracking towards 30 percent annually.
Industry peers recognised these achievements when The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) awarded Bega Valley Shire Council for its composting, introduction to FOGO and commitment to the
local community.
Council achieved these results through a carefully-planned and innovative marketing and media campaign involving more than 50 local children and FOGO Ambassador Costa Georgiadis.
The underpinning message was ‘It’s easy, choose the right bin’.
Thanks to a $641,000 NSW Environmental Protection Authority grant through the Waste Less Reycle More program, Council was able to develop resources across a range of platforms including television, print media, radio, social media and online.
This included the creation of a FOGOmentary, a documentary starring the same local children and Costa, which detailed why a FOGO service was necessary.
The FOGOmentary screened at a film premiere night, creating a special moment for the child stars and their families which they’ll never forget.
The FOGOmentary is also being used in Bega Valley schools as an education resource.
A ‘lessons learnt’ booklet is being developed to help guide councils in getting their residents to ‘Choose the right bin’. Copies are available from the FOGO team on 1300 212 203.
The FOGOmentary can be viewed on the Bega Valley Waste and Recycling Facebook page and the Bega Valley Shire Council website.
