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.

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 Compostable Liners (AS4736) , newspaper or paper towels can continue to be used to line in your FOGO bin. Read more about it here.

ItemAccepted?
Adhesive labels and tapeNO
Animal droppingsNO
Baking PaperNO
Barbecue Skewers (bamboo)NO
Biodegradable plastic bagsNO
Bones – meat and seafoodYES
Branches <10 cm diameterYES
Bread – crusts, stale or mouldyYES
Building materialsNO
Car partsNO
Cardboard NO
Cartons, such as milk or juice cartons (including lids and caps)NO
Cat LitterNO
CeramicsNO
CerealYES
Certified compostable packaging, cutlery, containers, cups, straws, stirrersNO
CharcoalNO
CheeseYES
Chewing Gum/ Bubble GumNO
Chicken bones/ skins/ scrapsYES
Chopsticks (Wooden or Bamboo)NO
ClothesNO
Coffee grinds (without pods or other packaging)YES
Compostable liners that don’t have the Australian standard AS4736 -2006NO
Compostable liners with Australian Standard AS4736-2006 (for lining your caddy only)YES
Cooking oils/ fatsYES
Corks (any type)NO
Curries (best if frozen)YES
Dairy productsYES
Dental floss pick (any type)NO
Dog or cat faecesNO
DustNO
Egg cartonsNO
Egg shellsYES
Expired food (without packaging)YES
Feathers (only fresh plucked chicken feathers)YES
Fibre-based kitchen caddy liners, e.g. paper or newspaper (only the ones used to collect and transfer food waste to the FOGO bin) YES
Fish - bones, skin and scrapsYES
Fish & Chips paperNO
FlowersYES
Food in containers (only food can go in FOGO but not the container)NO
Food scrapsYES
Fruit – peels, cores, seeds and scrapsYES
Garden CuttingsYES
Glass bottles and jars (including lids and seals)NO
GrainsYES
Grass ClippingsYES
Green/ Eco/ Calico/ Hessian/ Reusable BagsNO
Hair – human or petNO
Hay or strawYES
Household wasteNO
Junk mailNO
Kitty litter – clay, paper based or plasticNO
Leather products – bags, shoes, otherNO
Leaves

YES

Leftover cooked foodYES
Logs – larger than 10cm in diameterNO
Magazines and glossy paperNO
Meat bones & skinsYES
Meat scraps (raw or cooked)YES
Medical wasteNO
Metal Tins & CansNO
Milk (including non-dairy milks)YES
Mouldy foodYES
Nails – human and petNO
Napkins/serviettesNO
Nappies (including compostable ones)NO
Needles and syringesNO
Newspaper (for lining your caddy or wrapping food only)YES
Nuts (including shells and husks)YES
Oyster shellsYES
Paints and poisonsNO
Palm fronds & palm tree nutsNO
Paper – shredded or dirty/oilyNO
Paper bags (except for lining your caddy - Recycle first)NO
Paper napkins (except for lining your caddy or wrapping food)NO
Paper or plastic condiment sachets (e.g., sugar, salt, pepper sachets)NO
Paper platesNO
Paper towels (except for lining your caddy or wrapping food)NO
Pasta (cooked or uncooked)YES
Pet foodYES
Pet poo and kitty litterNO
Pet hay or strawYES
Pizza boxesNO
Plant cuttingsYES
Plant potsNO
Plastic bagsNO
Pruning (<10cm in diameter)YES
Recyclable itemsNO
Recyclable plastic containersNO
Rice (cooked or uncooked)YES
RocksNO
SandNO
Sauces such as tomato sauce or relishes (without packaging)YES
Seafood and shellsYES
SeedsYES
Shellfish wasteYES
Shredded paperNO
Skin – fish, chickenYES
SoilNO
Straw or HayYES
Tea bags (only if the bag doesn’t' contain plastic)YES
Tea LeavesYES
Textiles – bedding, cleaning cloths, carpetsNO
Timber (untreated, unpainted, uncoated, <10cm in diameter)YES
TissuesNO
Toilet roll / paper towel cardboard innersNO
Toothpick NO
Twigs & sticks (<10cm in diameter)YES
Vacuum wasteNO
Vegetables – peels, cores, seeds and scrapsYES
WeedsYES
Wipes (including compostable ones)NO
YogurtYES
Last Updated: 14 July 2023
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