Separation at source

More waste needs to be separated at its source of generation into different bins. For municipal solid waste collections in 2018, only 22% of Australian local councils offered a garden organics (GO) bin service, and just 16% offered a FOGO service.68

Separate FOGO collection services across the municipal solid waste and commercial and industrial waste streams are required. Noisy collection vehicles and more road traffic may pose challenges for local communities. Waste operators must respond to community challenges with operating models that balance congestion and amenity impacts.

However, separation at source is essential to lower the operational processing effort involved in improving raw materials.

This reform would require a substantial change in community, commercial and industrial behaviours.