Organics Collections grants

Program snapshot

Category: Organics Infrastructure Fund.

Amounts: Total of $12.1 million; individual grants of up to $1.3 million.

Eligible bodies: NSW Councils, groups of NSW Councils. 

Contact: organics.recycling@epa.nsw.gov.au or info@epa.nsw.gov.au

Status: Round 9 is open. Applications close 28 October 2021..

Managed by: NSW Environmental Trust

Aims

This $27 million program funds new or improved local council household kerbside collection services for food and garden organics, including collection systems for garden only, food waste, or a combination of both.

Eight previous rounds allocated $24.9 million to 60 projects, $1 million is available this round.

An additional $12.5 million was allocated as part of the Alternative Waste Technology Transition Package to support councils impacted by the 2018 EPA revocation of the order and exemption allowing mixed waste organic outputs (MWOO) to be applied to land.

The first round of the AWT Transition Package funding allocated $1.3 million to two projects. The remaining $11.1 million is available this round.

Many councils in NSW already operate an organics collection service. View the NSW Organics Collection services map (PDF 576KB).

Funding available 

Grants of up to $1.3 million are available to eligible applicants to implement new garden only, food only or combined food and garden organics kerbside collection services. The funding supports audits, community education and infrastructure such as bins and kitchen caddies. 

A total pool of $12.1 million is available. This consists of the remaining AWT Transition Package funding allocated to organics collections, combined with remaining funds from the Waste Less Recycle More Organics Infrastructure Fund.

How to apply

Guidelines are available from the NSW Environmental Trust website. All applications for the 2021 round of the program must be made via the Trust's online Grants Management System. 

These case studies detail the process each council employed to upgrade an existing service or introduce a new one to their residents and the results.

• Bega Valley Shire Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 228KB)
  A clever and humorous education campaign got Bega Valley residents FOGOfied.
• Byron Shire Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 470KB)
  Organic waste that has been diverted from landfill is being used by Byron Shire’s farmers to grow sustainable produce and improve local soil quality.
• Cessnock City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Council organics collections case study (PDF 1150KB)
  A fortnightly garden organics bin was introduced in the Cessnock, Maitland and Singleton Council areas in 2017. In its first year 13,598 tonnes of garden organics were collected.
  
• Kempsey Shire Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 452KB)
  The rural residents of Kempsey Shire have embraced a weekly food and garden organics collection and their dedication has contributed to a 15% drop in waste going to landfill in just 12 months.
• Kiama Municipal Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 390KB)
  Excellent planning has encouraged Kiama residents to embrace an organics recycling program that turns food and garden waste into a range of soil, compost and mulch products.
• Leichhardt food waste collection case study (PDF 521KB)
  Residents living in multi-unit complexes in the Leichhardt area have given a ‘thumbs up’ to their organics collection service, which turns waste into electricity.
• Netwaste Bathurst Regional Council, Forbes Shire Council and Parkes Shire Council FOGO collections case study (PDF 822KB)
  Three NSW Central West councils have successfully introduced a weekly food organics and garden organics (FOGO) waste service, diverting thousands of tonnes of organics from landfill
• Richmond Valley Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 416KB)
  Education has been critical to the successful rollout of Richmond Valley Council’s food organics and garden organics collection service. 
• Shellharbour City Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 660KB)
  Embracing a program to recycle food organics and garden organics (FOGO) has saved Shellharbour City Council ratepayers $219,000 in waste levy payments in the first year alone and extended the lifespan of the region’s landfill facility. 
• Snowy Monaro Cooma Regional Council FOGO collection case study (PDF 776)
  The Cooma-Monaro Shire Council used its $339,499 grant funding to produce nutrient-rich compost, by introducing a new kerbside food organics and garden organics collection.

Watch the Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Composting Food and Garden Organics video.

Past recipients

A total of $27 million has been allocated so far to collect more than 192,000 tonnes of food and garden waste from landfill in NSW.

• Round 8 allocated $2.67 million to 8 projects for the collection of organics waste from households. As a result of the grant funding an estimated additional 9,289 tonnes of household organics waste will be collected for recycling each year. View project summaries on the NSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 7 allocated $2 million to five projects for the collection of organics waste from households and businesses. As a result of the grant funding an estimated additional 12,554 tonnes of business and household organics waste will be collected for recycling each year. View project summaries on the View project summaries on the NSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 6 allocated $5 million to 10 projects. For the first time, this program is also supporting food waste collections from businesses, with three projects starting as a result of the grant funding to collect an estimated 1,350 tonnes of business food waste a year. View project summaries on the View project summaries on theNSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 5 allocated $2 million to 7 councils to provide new organics collection services to their residents, including four multi-unit dwelling trials. View project summaries on the View project summaries on the NSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 4 allocated $1.6 million to 4 councils to provide new organics collection services to their residents. View project summaries on the NSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 3 allocated $3.5 million to 7 councils to provide new organics collection services to their residents. View project summaries on the NSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 2 allocated $5.8 million to 10 councils for new organics collection services. View project summaries on the on the NSW Environmental Trust page.
• Round 1 allocated $6.5 million to 21 councils to provide new organics collection services to their residents. View project summaries on the NSW Environmental Trust page.

More information

Circular Economy Programs
Organics Unit
Phone: (02) 9995 6890
Email: organics.recycling@epa.nsw.gov.au