What is the food and garden waste service?
The food and garden waste service is a new green kerbside bin to recycle food and garden waste from the home. Under the food and garden waste program, the three-bin system will ultimately become the standard kerbside waste service for all houses across the City of Maribyrnong.
When do I put my lime-green lidded bin out for collection and how can I check?
Your food waste and garden waste bin will be collected fortnightly – on the alternate week your recycling bin is collected. Head to the website to check the collection dates for your street and to download the handy Bins and Recycling app: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/waste
Can I opt out of the service if I generate little to no food waste or compost at home?
Residents who currently have their own waste minimisation practices, such as in-house composting, and can demonstrate how they dispose of food and garden waste without sending it to landfill, can apply for an exemption. Contact Council's Environmental Sustainability team on 9688 0200.
I don’t have the space for a large 240L bin, can I get a smaller bin?
If space is an issue you can apply for a smaller 120L bin instead. These 120L bins will be collected at the same frequency – fortnightly on the alternate week to recycling.
If you want to downsize from a 240L bin to a 120L bin complete the Application for a Additional Bin - residential form and select the appropriate option when prompted for the additional bin type.
If I get a smaller 120L bin, will the waste charge on my rates notice reduce?
No. The cost of the service, including the collection of bins and the transport and processing of the waste, is the standard charge for all residents across the municipality who access waste collection services. It relates to the service not the bin size. This charge is calculated annually as part of Council’s Budget. For more information about the Annual Budget, visit the website: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/budget
I already compost at home, so don’t believe I need the service.
Composting is the best way you can manage your food waste and garden waste. We appreciate your efforts. The kerbside food waste and garden waste service provides for any difficult to compost items such as meat, seafood, dairy, citrus, onions and bread, which can cause problems in small scale compost bins, as can a lot of grass clippings in high-growth seasons.
To further support your composting, check out Council’s waste reduction programs: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/wasteprograms
Is there a cost to use the service?
Council provides a Food and Garden waste service to all stand-alone houses within the City of Maribyrnong. This includes the pick-up and emptying of the bins and diversion of the recycled material to the composting facility. Annual charges for the service provision are part of the waste management charge, which residents receive on their annual rates assessment notice.
For this financial year, residents will be charged $56 for the collection and disposal of the contents of the green waste bin. This cost will appear as part of the waste charge on your 2022/23 rate notice, along with a $35 increase for waste management (this increase applies to all residential rates notices who use Council waste services). As such, residents in stand-alone houses will see an overall increase of $67, taking the total waste charge to $289 for the 2022/23 financial year. Residents who opted for a Food and Garden Waste Bin prior to 2022 have automatically moved to the three-bin waste management service charge in the 2022/23 rate assessment period.
More information on the waste management service charge is included in the Budget 2021-2025 and the annual Rates Notice, which can be viewed at:
www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/budget or www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/rates
Who will receive the food and garden waste service?
All detached or stand-alone residential homes who have not already signed up to the service will receive a green bin in October 2021.
Residential properties who did not receive a green bin in October 2021 may apply for a green bin using our online form. Alternatively, you can phone our Customer Service team on 9688 0200 who are always on hand to help.
When applying online you will require the rates notice number for the property. If you are renting the property, you will need to contact the owner or property manager to request permission.
I live in an apartment or multi-unit development, can I access the food and garden waste service?
Council does not currently offer a food and garden waste service for residents in multi-unit developments. Food and garden waste bins have been provided to all detached or stand-alone residential homes as part of a state-wide initiative and the introduction of food and garden waste services for multi-unit developments will be included in future roll outs.
How do I collect my food waste to take to my green bin?
You can collect your food waste using the provided kitchen caddy (or compost caddy), or by using any container, such as an old ice cream tub or large yoghurt container. Residents will receive their kitchen caddy with their new green bin from October 2021.
Can I line my kitchen caddy with a compostable bag?
No. Please do not use plastic bags or compostable bags of any kind.
Food scraps should be collected in your kitchen container or caddy and then placed into the food and garden waste bin loose. No caddy liners or bags are to be used.
What will happen to my food and garden waste?
Food and garden waste will be taken to the Veolia organic processing facility, where it will be broken down over six to ten days and turned into mulch and compost products. These products can then be used to improve soil quality across Victorian farms, parks, schools and community gardens.
What can I do to keep my bin and kitchen caddy fresh?
If you manage your kitchen caddy and outdoor bin well, smells are not an issue. To manage them well, try the following:
- Keep the lid of your kitchen caddy closed when you are not using it, and keep it somewhere out of direct sunlight.
- Remember to give your caddy a rinse after you empty it, or place it in the dishwasher.
- For smelly food scraps like prawn shells, fish and meat scraps, place these in your fridge or freezer until the night before your bin collection, then place them in your food and garden waste bin.
- Remember to keep your outdoor bin in a shaded area, if possible.
- Try lining your kitchen caddy with a sheet of newspaper or paper towel, to help wrap up your food waste.
- Try sprinkling bicarbonate soda in your kitchen caddy and outdoor bin as a natural way to neutralise smells.
- Remember to layer the bottom of the outdoor bin with garden waste to help prevent food waste from sticking to the base.
Will my bin attract pests?
No. If you manage your bin properly and remember to keep it closed it will not attract pests more than any other bin.
Where can I get more information about the service and roll out?
For more information about the service, visit the website at www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/foodwaste or email FOGO@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au . You can also call our Customer Service team on 9688 0200.