Blue Mountains News

The Blue Mountains was awarded $345,875 in the third round of Go FOGO grants, which will be critical in fast-tracking our transition to Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins.
 
This grant will support Council in moving all Blue Mountains households to FOGO recycling by July 2030.
 
Blue Mountains Mayor, Mark Greenhill praised the grant announcement and the benefits it will bring for all residents and the local environment.
 
“We all want to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and in fact, over the last 20 years we’ve already decreased the amount of material going to landfill by 60 per cent,” Cr Greenhill said.
 
“Food and garden waste makes up about a third of what goes into red-lid bins, so diverting food and garden waste is a critical step in easing pressure on landfill.
 
“We have already started down that path with the introduction nine years ago of garden waste collection via green bins. Moving to FOGO is the next, crucial step in diverting even more waste away from the local Blaxland landfill.
 
“Council’s Sustainability and Waste team are already working on our transition to FOGO, which will happen once our current waste contracts have wrapped up. This grant from the EPA means we’ll be able to do more and be more efficient in that transition.”
 
NSW Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe said: “Greater Sydney is on track to reach landfill capacity by 2030 – we need solutions now.
 
“FOGO diverts this from landfill, reduces disposal fees, cuts emissions and creates a valuable resource for soil in gardens, landscaping and agriculture.
 
“I’m excited that NSW is the first state in Australia to mandate the transition to FOGO, and we’re backing this up with real support for councils and businesses.”
 
Member for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle said: "Fantastic news for the Blue Mountains! This significant grant from the NSW Government is a crucial step in our journey towards a more sustainable future. With the introduction of FOGO, we’re not only reducing waste and cutting emissions, but also supporting our community's commitment to a cleaner, greener environment."
 
 
Council endorsed the Towards Zero Waste strategy 2022-2031 in 2022, which focusses on the work Council has already done to reduce waste and provides a detailed action plan presenting clear and practical strategies for continuing to reduce waste to landfill and transition to a zero-waste city.
 
Find out more about Council’s waste management services: here