Everything you need to know about recycling food scraps
Organics Meat Chicken Meat off-cuts Coffee grounds Leftover food Fish Food organics Restaurant food waste Food waste Tea Beef Pork Fruit scraps Vegetable scraps Rotten food
FIND A RECYCLER
Learn more about recycling food scraps
How to recycle food scraps
Food scraps include vegetables, fruit, tea, bread, cereals, eggshells, grains, meat and dairy products. Food scraps can be turned into compost via a home composting system or through a specialised food and garden organics recycling service (often run by councils).
Council services
Food scraps and organic waste should?never?be put in your recycling bin at home as they will contaminate the recycling and prevent them from being recycled. If your council has provided you with a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin, you can use it to recycle your food scraps. Check with council to see what types of organics are accepted.
Home composts and worm farms
Having your own compost bin, compost heap or worm farm is a cheap, rewarding way to recycle your food scraps and garden cuttings.?They will also turn your food scraps into nutrient-rich soil which you can use in your garden.
Composts will generally need to be kept in a garden or yard. Worm farms, however, can be kept in courtyards, balconies, or even inside if space is limited.
Many councils and community gardens run composting and worm farming workshops to help you get started. There are also some helpful tips on this page provided by Planet Ark ambassador Costa Georgiadis.
Costa's guide to composting and worm farming
Planet Ark ambassador, landscape architect and Logie award-winning TV presenter, Costa Georgiadis, explains how to set up a compost or worm farm at home.
Need more help?
Click on the fact sheet below for tips on how to set up a compost at home.
Why recycle?
Composting food scraps is one of the best ways households can help fight climate change. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and turns waste into nutrient-rich soil that can be used to nurture vegetation.
Food doesn’t belong in sealed landfills as they are anaerobic environments, meaning there is no oxygen available. In this environment, organics rot and produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is significantly more potent than carbon dioxide.
Sending food scraps and other organic waste to landfill not only wastes valuable nutrients, but the decomposing waste is also a potential source of organic leachates that can contaminate surface and ground water.
How big is the problem?
When it comes to food waste, unfortunately, Australians are some of the worst culprits:
-
Around half of what we put in our garbage bins is garden organics.1
-
According to councils, food organics are one of the biggest contaminants in recycling bins, degrading the quality of recyclable items and possibly preventing them from being recycled.2
-
Australian households send 2.5 million tonnes of food to landfill each year.3 Yet more than 2 million Australian households experienced food insecurity in 2022.4
-
In the average Australian household, one in five shopping bags of food ends up in the bin, costing each household between $2,000 - $2,500 per year!5
However, if food waste is recycled, the valuable organic matter and nutrients contained within them can be recaptured. Methane and other biogases can also be captured and used to generate electricity.
References
What happens to them?
The most common method of composting food waste in Australia is aerobic windrow composting (also called hot composting). In this process, food waste is mixed with other organic waste like wood chips or paper before the material is formed into ‘windrows’ or mounded rows. The windrows are regularly turned and managed to optimise aerobic breakdown of the organic material (microbial breakdown of organic material in the presence of oxygen).
Another popular process that uses aerobic decomposition is in-vessel composting. This is similar to windrow composting, but the conditions can be more carefully controlled and the process is accelerated.
Biogas, including methane, is produced from anaerobic decomposition of organic waste (microbial breakdown of organic waste in the absence of oxygen). There are around 60 biogas generation facilities in Australia, producing biogas for electricity generation.
The solid material that is produced from composting is used as compost, mulch, potting mix, soil fertilisers and other soil conditioners. The liquid material that is produced from in-vessel composting and anaerobic decomposition is also used in soil conditioners, including liquid fertiliser that can be injected into the soil.
The use of compost in gardening, landscaping, horticulture and agriculture can:
-
Reduce the amount of watering required
-
Reduce the amount of synthetic fertilisers needed
-
Improve the structure, fertility and health of soils
-
Help to repair soils suffering from poor management
Food donations
Excess food can also be donated to food rescue charities like Foodbank and OzHarvest, so it doesn’t go to waste. These charities prevent surplus food from rotting in landfill by collecting it from businesses, farms and organisations to help feed people in need. Households with excess food in edible condition could contact a local shelter to see if it could be used.
If your council doesn't have a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection service, there are still ways to make sure your food waste is put to good use. Peels is a free online platform that connects users with businesses, schools and neighbours that have composts and are willing to accept food scraps.
How to reduce food waste
No matter how careful we are, we'll always have some unavoidable food scraps such as vegetable peelings. With the right information, minimising your food waste can be easy.
-
Try making stocks and condiments from the parts of your food usually going in the bin (e.g. apple cores, vegetable peels).
-
Freeze anything that you could eat or use at a later date.
-
Always check your pantry and fridge before shopping to avoid buying excess food.
-
Write and stick to a shopping list of what you need.
-
Avoid 2-for-1 deals if it means buying extra food you don’t need that could spoil.
Recycling food at work
If your workplace or business has large quantities of food scraps to recycle, visit the food scraps page for businesses to find suitable drop-off or pick-up services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are food scraps?
Food scraps are any kind of discarded waste from food, including vegetables, fruit, tea, bread, cereals, eggshells, grains, meat and dairy products.
What happens to food scraps in landfill?
It is best to avoid sending organic waste, such as food scraps, to landfill. If your council offers a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin, you can send your food scraps to be composted via that service. Alternatively, you can avoid sending your food scraps to landfill by composting them at home or at a local community garden.
Food scraps that are put in your rubbish bin at home are sent to landfill, where they are buried and therefore decompose without the presence of oxygen. During the anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition of food scraps, biogas (which is a combination of methane and carbon dioxide) is released – both of which are greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
How to compost food scraps
If your council provides a household Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin, you can place your food scraps in there so they can be turned into compost at a commercial facility. Confirm with your council which food scraps you can place in your household FOGO bin.
If you don’t have a household FOGO bin, you can turn your food scraps into compost yourself or search your neighbourhood on Peels to see if any of your neighbours have a compost bin you can utilise.
The easiest way to compost at home is by using a compost bin (you can make your own or buy one ready to go). You’ll need to make sure you layer your compost heap with the right ratio of nitrogen-rich wet/green matter (such food scraps and grass clippings) to carbon-rich dry/brown matter (such as dead leaves, twigs, and paper).? A good rule-of thumb is to use about two parts brown materials for every one part of green materials.
To speed up the decomposition process, you’ll also need to aerate/turn over your compost layers regularly (about every one to two weeks). When you have finished turning over/tumbling your compost, you can give it a light drizzle with water if it is too dry.
You can also use a worm farm to compost your food scraps. For more information on worm farming, watch Gardening Australia’s helpful video. You can find more tips on how to compost your food scraps at Gardening Australia.
Can all food scraps be composted?
Whilst council Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins accept most food scraps, you should not compost animal products (including meat and fish) or dairy products at home. Meat and dairy products will likely attract vermin and other animals and may result in the final compost containing pathogens (they can be put in Bokashi bins, however). If you have a worm farm, you should also avoid feeding them citrus.
Can food scraps be recycled?
Yes – food scraps can be recycled by turning them into compost or fertiliser. Food scraps should never be put in your recycling bin at home, as they will contaminate the recycling and possibly prevent them from being recycled.
You can recycle your food scraps by putting them in your Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin, if your council has provided you with one. If you do not have a FOGO bin, you can use the information on this page to find out how you can recycle food scaps.
Can food scraps go in the green bin?
No – food scraps should not be put in the garden waste bin (usually a bin with a green lid). These bins only collect waste from gardens (grass cuttings, branches, leaves, flowers, and soil) for composting. If your council has provided you with a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin, you can place your food scraps in there for composting.
Can you freeze food scraps for compost?
Yes – you can freeze your food scraps and then add them to your worm farm, compost bin, or Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin when ready.
How to store food scraps for compost?
If your council has a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin service, they will be able to advise you on the requirements of this service, including which sorts of compostable bags to use.
In between adding your food scraps to your FOGO bin or home compost bin, you can use a kitchen caddy (or another airtight container) and either store them on your bench top or under the sink (if they won’t be there too long) or in your fridge or freezer (if you’ll be storing them inside for longer or during hot periods to prevent smells). You can then transfer your food scraps to your FOGO bin, worm farm, or compost bin when ready.
Can you put food scraps directly onto your garden?
Throwing the odd bit of food waste onto your garden will likely not damage your garden, however, it is not an appropriate way to recycle large amounts of food scraps. The best way to recycle food scraps is a via a composting system or worm farm, which will turn the food waste into nutrient-rich soil or fertiliser.
Here are some other ways you reuse food scraps:
* Coffee grounds can be diluted with water and then used as a nitrogen-rich watering solution.
* Soak banana peels in water and then use the potassium-rich solution to help give your plants a boost during fruiting season.
You can also try a composting method known as trench composting (or direct soil feeding), which is less maintenance than a compost bin or worm farm but only really works for single doses of food scraps. It also takes food scraps longer to decompose via this method. During trench composting, food scraps are buried in a hole and then covered with soil. As you will not be able to harvest the compost created via this method, it is a good idea to dig the holes near where you require added nutrients, such as in a vegetable patch.
For more information on trench composting and other composting techniques, visit the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Are food scraps biodegradable?
Yes – all food scraps are biodegradable and will eventually decompose. When food scraps are sent to landfill, they decompose in airtight conditions, releasing potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
Composting (whether in commercial facilities or via home compost bins and worm farms) speeds up the decomposition process. Composting your food scraps keeps them out of landfill, ensuring the valuable nutrients within them are returned to the earth to nurture plant growth.
How long does it take for food scraps to decompose?
If you have a home compost system, you can expect nutrient-rich compost from anywhere between 4 weeks and a year (depending on the conditions and type of composting system, as well as the types of food scraps used). Compost typically breaks down faster in warmer weather.
Food scraps sent to commercial composting facilities decompose much faster than those in home compost bins because of the higher temperatures.
How to compost food scraps in an apartment
Your apartment complex may have a food scrap collection service available. Check with your building manager if this is the case for your complex.?If you want to set up your own composting system, there are a number of compost bin options available for those with limited space such as Bokashi bins which ferment the food scraps. If you have a balcony or outdoor space, a small worm farm could also be an option. You may not be able to prevent all of your food scraps from going to landfill with these systems, but you will still be making an impact by diverting some organic waste from landfill.
If you are unable to start up your own home compost system, you might be able to donate your food scraps to a local community garden, a friend or family member, or via an online platform such as Peels.
How to reuse food scraps?
Vegetable scraps/peels and bones can be used to make broth and food stock. Vegetable peels can also be baked to make veggie chips. Citrus fruits like lemon can be as used zest or garnishes on dishes or even as cleaning products.
A great way to reuse the nutrients within your food scraps is to turn them into compost (either via your council’s FOGO bin service, if you have one, or via a home composting system). The nutrient-rich compost can then be returned to the soil.
It is important to note that whilst meat and dairy products can generally be placed in household FOGO bins, they should not be placed in home compost bins or worm farms.
What food scraps can worms eat?
If you have a worm farm, avoid feeding them any meat and dairy products, citrus, and greasy or spicy foods. Other than that, your worms will be happy to assist you to turn your food scraps into nutritious liquid gold for your garden.
Why should we compost your food scraps?
Food waste makes up a significant portion of the waste sent to landfills. It also contains lots of valuable nutrients which should be recycled and returned to the soil, rather than wasted.
Food waste that is placed in your general waste bin and sent to landfill is buried and therefore decomposes without the presence of oxygen. During the anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition of food scraps, biogas (which is a combination of methane and carbon dioxide) is released – both of which are greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change.
However, food scraps that are composted (either via your council’s FOGO bin service or your home worm farm or compost bin) decompose in the presence of oxygen, meaning that no methane is released in the process.
