FOGO A-Z

Below is a comprehensive list of what can and cannot go into the FOGO bin.

If unsure, contact us on 1300 722 542 or council@randwick.nsw.gov.au or place the item in the red bin.

Order new FOGO caddy liners

Important update – FOGO changes
In July 2022 the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) released an updated set of rules on what can and can’t go into your green lid FOGO bin.

This advice from the NSW EPA means that your FOGO bin can only be used for food scraps and garden organics only. Other organics such as compostable packaging, soiled paper and pet waste must be placed in the red bin.

Certified 100% Compostable Liners with the AS4736 seedling Logo can still be used to line your kitchen caddy.

ItemAccepted?
Adhesive labels and tape NO
Animal droppings NO
Baking Paper NO
Barbecue Skewers (bamboo) NO
Biodegradable plastic bags NO
Bones – meat and seafood YES
Branches <10 cm diameter YES
Bread – crusts, stale or mouldy YES
Building materials NO
Car parts NO
Cardboard  NO
Cartons, such as milk or juice cartons (including lids and caps) NO
Cat Litter NO
Ceramics NO
Cereal YES
Certified compostable packaging, cutlery, containers, cups, straws, stirrers NO
Charcoal NO
Cheese YES
Chewing Gum/ Bubble Gum NO
Chicken bones/ skins/ scraps YES
Chopsticks (Wooden or Bamboo) NO
Clothes NO
Coffee grinds (without pods or other packaging) YES
Compostable liners that don’t have the Australian standard AS4736 NO
Compostable liners with Australian Standard AS4736 (for lining your caddy only) YES
Cooking oils/ fats YES
Corks (any type) NO
Curries (best if frozen) YES
Dairy products YES
Dental floss pick (any type) NO
Dog or cat faeces NO
Dust NO
Egg cartons NO
Egg shells YES
Expired food (without packaging) YES
Feathers (only fresh plucked chicken feathers) YES
Fish - bones, skin and scraps YES
Fish & Chips paper NO
Flowers YES
Food in containers (only food can go in FOGO but not the container) NO
Food scraps YES
Fruit – peels, cores, seeds and scraps YES
Garden Cuttings YES
Glass bottles and jars (including lids and seals) NO
Grains YES
Grass Clippings YES
Green/ Eco/ Calico/ Hessian/ Reusable Bags NO
Hair – human or pet NO
Hay or straw YES
Household waste NO
Junk mail NO
Kitty litter – clay, paper based or plastic NO
Leather products – bags, shoes, other NO
Leaves

YES

Leftover cooked food YES
Logs – larger than 10cm in diameter NO
Magazines and glossy paper NO
Meat bones & skins YES
Meat scraps (raw or cooked) YES
Medical waste NO
Metal Tins & Cans NO
Milk (including non-dairy milks) YES
Mouldy food YES
Nails – human and pet NO
Napkins/serviettes NO
Nappies (including compostable ones) NO
Needles and syringes NO
NewspaperNO
Nuts (including shells and husks) YES
Oyster shells YES
Paints and poisons NO
Palm fronds & palm tree nuts NO
Paper – shredded or dirty/oily NO
Paper bags NO
Paper napkins  NO
Paper or plastic condiment sachets (e.g., sugar, salt, pepper sachets) NO
Paper plates NO
Paper towels NO
Pasta (cooked or uncooked) YES
Pet food YES
Pet poo and kitty litter NO
Pet hay or straw YES
Pizza boxes NO
Plant cuttings YES
Plant pots NO
Plastic bags NO
Plastic bags that are 50% or 60% plant basedNO
Plastic bags that are 50% Ocean Plastic Recycled BagsNO
Plastic bags that are 95% Recycled NO
Pruning (<10cm in diameter) YES
Recyclable items NO
Recyclable plastic containers NO
Rice (cooked or uncooked) YES
Rocks NO
Sand NO
Sauces such as tomato sauce or relishes (without packaging) YES
Seafood and shells YES
Seeds YES
Shellfish waste YES
Shredded paper NO
Skin – fish, chicken YES
Soil NO
Straw or Hay YES
Tea bags NO
Tea Leaves YES
Textiles – bedding, cleaning cloths, carpets NO
Timber (untreated, unpainted, uncoated, <10cm in diameter) YES
Tissues NO
Toilet roll / paper towel cardboard inners NO
Toothpick  NO
Twigs & sticks (<10cm in diameter) YES
Vacuum waste NO
Vegetables – peels, cores, seeds and scraps YES
Weeds YES
Wipes (including compostable ones) NO
Yogurt YES
Last Updated: 25 June 2025
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