Decision details

The original Notice of Motion was moved by Councillor Scott and seconded by Councillor Chan.

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         food scraps currently account for 40 per cent of the makeup of household bins in Australia and have detrimental impacts on our environment due to the production of toxins, leachate and greenhouse gases;

(ii)        in the National Waste Policy Action Plan, the Australian Government along with states and territories, have agreed to the introduction of FOGO collection services to households and businesses by 2023;

(iii)       the City of Sydney area produces more than 5,500 tonnes of waste every day and contributes to approximately 8 per cent of the city’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Resultantly, we have a responsibility to ensure we are providing a diversified system of waste management practices for City residents within their homes; and

(iv)       the City of Sydney’s ‘Leave Nothing to Waste” Strategy and Action Plan 2017 – 2030 identified two priority areas:

(a)        improving recycling outcomes; and

(a)        promoting innovation to avoid waste;

(v)        the City currently delivers a fortnightly garden organics (GO) service which is available to all residential properties within the Local Government Area; 5567 (30 per cent) single unit dwellings and 789 (44 per cent) multi-unit dwellings use this service;

(vi)       on 29 July 2019, the City commenced a trial food scraps (FO) collection service for selected residential properties. The formal trial period concluded on 31 October 2021; the service has continued for properties already receiving the service. The trial is currently under review;

(vii)      the trial service has continued for properties already receiving the service, with 1005 (5.5 per cent) single unit dwellings and 207 (11.5 per cent) multi-unit dwellings participating in the service;

(viii)    in the 2021 calendar year, the City collected 1709 tonnes of garden organic waste and 475 tonnes of food waste; and

(ix)       that full household FOGO collection is currently undertaken by a large number of NSW councils, including the Inner West Council, Woollahra, Randwick, Penrith, Dubbo, Forbes, Parkes and Bega Valley Shires;

(B)       Council note that the City of Sydney is committed to developing a food organics and organic garden waste recycling service in line with the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 Stage 1 plan: 2021–2027 (the Strategy), and that residential waste management in Australia is devolved to state governments; and

(C)       when the legislative requirements are confirmed for the Strategy, which is anticipated in April 2022, that outlines the requirements for Councils to provide a food and garden organics service, the Chief Executive Officer be requested to present an options paper to Council that takes into account the review of the Food Scraps trial, to decide on the delivery of FOGO within this term.

The motion, as varied by consent, was carried unanimously.

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