Food waste is a big part of the waste generated by NSW businesses. In fact, around one quarter of all NSW business waste sent to landfill is food waste.
For cafés, restaurants, takeaway shops and other food businesses, keeping food waste out of the red bin is becoming increasingly important. For some businesses, it is also now required under the NSW business FOGO mandate.
Why does food waste matter?
When food scraps go into a general waste bin, they are sent to landfill. Once there, they cannot be recovered for composting.
As food breaks down in landfill without oxygen, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Separating food waste instead allows it to be processed into compost, returning valuable nutrients to the soil rather than losing them in landfill.
Best of all: avoid food waste
Using your green FOGO bin is important, but avoiding food waste in the first place is even better. Food that is thrown away has already cost a business money to buy, store and prepare.
Paying attention to what is regularly left over or discarded can help identify opportunities to reduce surplus, reuse ingredients or donate food before considering recycling or disposal.
New food waste requirements have started
The first stage of the NSW business FOGO mandate started on 1 July 2026.
The requirements are being introduced gradually, based on how much general waste bin capacity a business or site has each week. Businesses covered include supermarkets, restaurants, cafés and takeaway food businesses.
From 1 July 2026, the mandate applies to sites with at least 3,960 litres of general waste bin capacity each week. This drops to 1,980 litres from 1 July 2028, with smaller sites included from 1 July 2030.
For shopping centres and other sites where several businesses share one waste service, the shared waste service is used to work out when the mandate applies.
Businesses can use the NSW EPA’s FOGO Business Mandate Calculator to check when the requirements apply to them.
Food in, packaging out
The good news is that separating food waste doesn’t need to be complicated.
All food scraps (except oyster shells) belong in your green FOGO bin. This includes:
- fruit and vegetable scraps
- meat and bones
- bread and other baked goods
- leftovers
- seafood and prawn shells
- eggshells
- coffee grounds and loose tea leaves.
Remove food from its packaging before putting it in the green bin.
It is just as important to keep contamination out. Tea bags, disposable coffee cups, serviettes, baking paper, cutlery, and other packaging do not belong in the FOGO bin.
Make the right bin the easy bin
When the lunch rush is on, staff will usually choose the quickest and easiest option. A good FOGO system should make the right choice simple.
Put bins where the waste happens
Keep a small FOGO bin or bucket close to preparation areas, dishwashers or other places where food scraps are created. Where possible, keep FOGO and general waste bins together so staff don’t need to take extra steps.
Keep it practical
Use containers that are easy to lift and empty, and empty them regularly before they become too heavy or smelly. Have a clear process for moving food waste from the kitchen to your main organics bin.
Make it obvious
Use clear, consistent signage so staff can quickly see what goes in each bin.
Build it into the routine
Include FOGO in staff induction and everyday shift procedures. Make it clear who is responsible for emptying bins and keeping an eye out for contamination.
If it isn't working, change the setup
If the same mistakes keep happening, it may be a sign that the bin is in the wrong place or the process is making things harder than it needs to be.
Help is available
The NSW EPA has free tools and resources to help businesses prepare for the FOGO requirements and improve how they manage food waste.
Bin Trim can help businesses look at what is in their waste, find opportunities to reduce waste and costs, develop an action plan and track improvements.
The EPA also provides a recorded FOGO Business Mandates Information Session, short training videos, printable signage and other food waste resources for businesses.
For local information about the mandate, visit Council’s FOGO mandate for businesses page.
Whether your business is already required to separate food waste or is preparing for the next stage, now is a good time to look at where your food waste is going.
