The Australian Organics Recycling Association’s updated position paper on Food Organics and Garden Organics backs the use of certified compostable caddy liners.
More than 7.5 million tonnes of food are wasted every year in Australia, costing the nation’s economy $36.6 billion.
Food waste also generates 17.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – three per cent of Australia’s national greenhouse gas emissions – according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
As part of the National Waste Policy Action Plan 2019 the Federal Government has set an ambitious goal to halve the country’s food waste by 2030. Its strategy includes mandating the transition of households from Garden Organics (GO) to Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collections, and the delivery of Food Organics (FO) and FOGO collections for businesses by 2030.
The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) has undertaken a review of its position paper on FOGO to ensure the organics recycling industry has clear guidelines and a framework to tackle issues.
John McKew, AORA Executive Officer, says the review identified several key considerations:
- AORA and the recycled organics industry is committed to generating high-quality compost outputs that promote the protection of the environment and human health.
- Minimising contamination in feedstock is critical to enable efficient and effective processing of organics into quality end products.
- AORA supports a national target of less than two per cent contamination in source separated organics.
- Consistent education and messaging across industry, councils and government is vital to achieve behaviour change and support a sustainable organics industry.
State government consultations on FOGO, especially in New South Wales and Victoria, have also provided impetus for the review and, John says, offer the opportunity for improved harmonisation across states as the transition to FOGO accelerates.
However, he says Recycling Victoria’s Household Waste and Recycling Draft Service Standard 2024 is raising concerns.
The draft states that compostable plastic caddy liners, including caddy liners certified to AS 4736 and AS 5810, will not be acceptable for a household FOGO service – unlike the New South Wales Government’s position which allows for the use of certified compostable caddy liners.
John says AORA supports the use of certified compostable caddy liners within a FOGO stream, viewing them as an effective solution for households and commercial entities to manage food waste efficiently.
“These liners make it easier for consumers to collect and transport food scraps, increasing participation rates in organics recycling programs,” he says. “Furthermore, they help maintain cleanliness and hygiene, reducing barriers to participation in these programs.”
AORA is advocating for the inclusion of certified compostable caddy liners in all FOGO introductions, where applicable, and believes that making the liners available free of charge to households via their local council will enhance participation in the service.
It will also work to reduce the use of non-certified caddy liners, which are another source of unwanted contamination within the FOGO stream.
It is generally accepted that the cost to councils of providing certified compostable caddy liners free of charge to households is offset by the reduction in landfill charges through the diversion of FOGO.
“Anything we can do to aid the diversion of food waste by households should be considered and supported,” John says.
“Avoiding food waste to begin with is the first step and that is why AORA supports End Food Waste Australia (an organisation established to deliver the National Food Waste Strategy and food waste reduction initiatives that span from farm to fork).
“But we also understand that there will always be a level of food waste that is impossible to avoid – scraps, food that is out of date or no longer usable, peelings, etc. Making sure this does not go to landfill is important. This ‘waste’ also has the potential to be a vital resource. Through organic recycling it can become compost which is then used to feed our soils and to aid in the production of food – true circularity.”
He says the recycled organics industry is committed to generating quality compost outputs that promote the protection of the environment and human health, specifically through the diversion of organic material from landfill.
The success of FOGO mandates and the circular economy relies on materials being accepted in the dedicated FO or FOGO stream and being responsibly compostable within existing operations.
The revised AORA FOGO Position Paper is available on the association’s website.
For more information, visit:
www.aora.org.au