Alpine Shire Council is celebrating another successful year of the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service, with impressive results that highlight the region’s commitment to sustainable waste management.
Since the FOGO service was introduced in July 2023, a total of 4,664 tonnes of organic waste has been collected.
Even more encouraging is the significant reduction in general waste; over the past 12 months, waste tonnages across the shire have dropped by more than 40% compared to the year before FOGO began.
These figures reflect the strong uptake and effective use of the service by residents.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, praised the community’s efforts and said it was a fantastic achievement for the Shire.
"Our residents have truly embraced the FOGO service, and the significant drop in general waste show just how committed our residents are to protecting the environment," Cr Nicholas said.
"The separation of food and garden organics from general waste has become a well-established habit in many households, contributing to a cleaner, greener community, and that's something we can be proud of."
New supply of green FOGO bags
In response to feedback and observed usage patterns, Council has changed the distribution of kitchen caddy liners.
To reduce unnecessary waste, Council will no longer deliver caddy liners to households as has been done in previous years.
Instead, residents who wish to continue using the Council-provided compostable liners can collect their annual supply for free from the Customer Service Centre in Bright, and Libraries in Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford from 1 July 2025.
Cr Nicholas reminded residents that if liners are used with FOGO bins, they must be the official Council-provided compostable bags to ensure proper processing and to help collection truck drivers identify contamination.
"We’re always looking for ways to reduce waste and improve efficiency," she said.
"By making caddy liners available on request, we’re cutting down on unnecessary distribution while still supporting those who use them."
"Let’s keep the momentum going. Every small action - like using the right liner or composting food scraps - adds up to a big impact for our environment."