Griffith residents will soon have the green bins that are already in operation across Wagga. Photo: Wagga City Council.
Griffith households are on track to get a new green-lid bin for food and garden waste in 2027, while the council is also considering giving unwanted furniture, tools and other goods a second life at a tip shop instead of sending them to landfill.
The two waste reduction ideas are progressing through the council’s Landfill/FOGO Committee, with a tender now being prepared for the community education campaign needed before the new bin service begins.
The Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service is scheduled to start on 1 July 2027.
The new bins will be used for food scraps and garden waste, including things such as fruit and vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, coffee grounds, lawn clippings, leaves and weeds.
The aim is to keep organic waste out of the general rubbish bin, where it currently makes up a large chunk of what Griffith sends to landfill.
Many Griffith residents have been pushing for a FOGO service, while neighbouring councils such as Wagga and Leeton have already had the green bins at the kerbside for years.
The council previously said 62 per cent of Griffith’s general waste could potentially be turned into compost, including 33 per cent garden waste and 16 per cent food waste.
But there are concerns about how much work needs to be done before the 2027 deadline.
Community representative Lisa Parker has previously stressed the importance of getting the education campaign right, with residents needing to understand what goes into the new bin and how the system will work.
At the September Landfill/FOGO Committee meeting, Ms Parker asked for an update on the kerbside collection policy.
Waste Operations Manager John Roser said the council was tendering for the education process.
The council has previously said education will be a major part of the rollout, with the service representing a significant change for households.
And while the green bins are coming, Griffith could also get somewhere to buy back some of the things residents are currently throwing away.
The Landfill/FOGO Committee has recommended the council call for an expression of interest (EOI) for a second hand tip shop at the Tharbogang Landfill.
Prolific gardener Robyn Meehan, 67, says a FOGO bin will make her life much easier. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
A tip shop is essentially a reuse shop attached to a landfill.
Instead of a usable table, chair, bike, tool or piece of garden equipment going straight into the rubbish, it can be set aside, checked and sold to someone else.
Leeton already has one at its landfill, selling items including furniture, homewares, tools, toys, books and hardware.
The Leeton shop is operated by the Salvation Army, with residents able to take good condition, saleable household items to the facility for resale.
Griffith residents were asked about the idea earlier this year, with 136 people responding to the council’s survey.
Almost 90 per cent supported establishing a secondhand tip shop, while 80.1 per cent said they would be either very likely or somewhat likely to use one.
Furniture, bicycles, garden equipment, tools and building materials were among the items residents most wanted to see reused.
There were also concerns, including safety, security, operating costs and the possibility of the facility becoming a burden on ratepayers.
More than 60 per cent of respondents opposed increasing landfill fees to fund the required infrastructure.
The committee’s recommendation for an EOI would allow the council to find out whether an organisation or individual is interested in operating the facility and how it could work.
There has already been some debate about keeping Griffith’s waste facilities looking tidy.
Councillor Mark Dal Bon has raised concerns about the untidy appearance of bins along Banna Lane, where the council said commercial businesses are responsible for keeping their bins neat, tidy and well maintained.
