In July 2022, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), released a Position Statement on acceptable inputs for residential Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO). This was in response to composters preparing for the governments ambitious plans to rollout FOGO to all NSW residents by 2030.
What is Acceptable?
The Position Statement noted the following as acceptable materials for FO (Food Organic) or FOGO (Food Organic & Garden Organics) waste:
- Food (for FOGO bins only)
- Garden organics
- Compostable plastic or kitchen caddy liners that comply with Australian Standards for commercial composting
- Fibre-based kitchen caddy liners fibre-based kitchen caddy liners
What is Not Acceptable?
As this Position Statement outlines NSW FOGO guidelines only, Compost Connect will remain operational for businesses in NSW under the Commercial Food Organics (COFO) remit, at our compost partners’ discretion. However, we are aware that some of our partners are already removing packaging from the waste they pick up.
What is BioPak Doing?
BioPak are working closely with the NSW EPA to allow BioPak's certified compostable packaging to be composted via FOGO household bins – this is in addition to our existing Australian Compost Certifications AS5810 (home) and/or AS4736 (industrial).
The process is taking longer than expected, however we will continue to operate with transparency with all regulators, industry bodies, councils and businesses to help find a solution that supports a circular economy. We're hoping for a resolution this year.
In the meantime, we are investigating alternative technologies that can process compostable packaging along with food waste (insect processing or in-vessel technology for instance) and we'll hopefully be able to list them on the Compost Connect platform soon.
What Can You Do?
In the meantime, we encourage you to reach out to your waste collector to discuss what is the best approach for your business until the process is finalised.
Where Can Compostable Packaging be Composted?
BioPak packaging is successfully composted in many councils across Australia, including Hobart and all of metro Adelaide. Go to Compost Connect to see if your council is accepting compostable packaging.
With ongoing single-use plastic bans and national packaging targets expected by 2025, compostable packaging will continue to increase in both Australian and global markets. As such, we believe that regulators need to work together to ensure only certified products are accepted and most importantly, provide a suitable end-of-life option for these materials that supports circularity. Compostable packaging allows the opportunity to divert more food from landfill. If organics in landfill was a country it would be the third largest emitter of carbon behind the USA and China.
More Information:
- Compost Connect: Which Australian Councils Are Composting
- Compost Connect Composting Case Study: Jeffries are South Australia’s largest composter
- Compost in action video
