FOGO explained: what it is, what goes in and why it matters

FOGO. Four letters you're going to be hearing a lot more of (and nowhere near as fun as some other four-letter combos!)

It stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics and, basically, it's a way of keeping food and garden waste out of general waste so it can be put to better use.

With FOGO becoming increasingly important for NSW businesses, here's the simple version of what you need to know.

What goes in FOGO?

FOGO is for organic material that can be processed rather than sent to landfill.

For many businesses, that can include:

• food scraps and leftovers

• fruit and vegetable offcuts

• coffee grounds

• plate scrapings

• expired food, with packaging removed where possible

• tea bags and paper towel

• garden waste, depending on your service.

The important bit? Keep the wrong stuff out.

Plastic packaging, gloves, cutlery and other general waste can contaminate FOGO and make the material harder to process.

Simple systems – clear signage, well-placed bins and making sure everyone knows what goes where – can make a big difference.

Why bother separating it?

When food waste goes into landfill, it breaks down and produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Separating organic waste means it can instead be processed into compost and other useful organic products.

For businesses, separating FOGO can also significantly change what's left in the general waste bin, which makes it worth looking at your whole waste setup rather than simply adding another bin.

Is FOGO compulsory for businesses?

For some NSW businesses, yes.

The NSW rollout began in July 2026 for businesses producing more than 3,800 litres of general waste each week, with more businesses to be brought into the system as the threshold reduces over time.

But whether you're required to separate FOGO now or simply want to get ahead of the change, the basic principle is the same: make it easy for people to put the right waste in the right place.

Need to get FOGO sorted?

There's no one-size-fits-all FOGO setup. The right bin size and collection frequency depend on how much organic waste your business generates and how your site operates.

Smallmons can help you work out what you need and put a practical FOGO collection service in place — without making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Got questions about FOGO? Talk to the Smallmons team. We'll help you get it sorted.