Greater Hume Council Joins Circular Economy Project
Published on 21 May 2025
Mayor Lea Parker said today that Greater Hume Council, as a member of the Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Council (REROC), has joined a key REROC project called Circular Organics in the Eastern Riverina.
The project has been operational since January 2024 and to date has included 4 REROC member Councils namely, Lockhart Shire, Coolamon Shire, Junee Shire and Cootamundra-Gundagai Shire. These Councils already had established FOGO (Food Organics Green Organics) collections and as Greater Hume commenced FOGO collections mid 2024 the Council can now participate.
The project is a NSW Environmental Protection Authority Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy Initiative, funded from the waste levy and is conducted under the EPA funded Bin Trim Program.
Mayor Parker said today that the project aims to increase the amount of food waste being processed at council's green waste processing facility by increasing the capture of food waste from hospitality businesses such as pubs, clubs, cafes, bakeries etc where food waste is generated through the preparation of food and customer consumption processes.
To date many food-related businesses have deposited such waste into general garbage bins and the contents end up in landfill generating pressure on landfills and creating environmental problems such as methane gas creation.
The Mayor said that the REROC project seeks to divert all organic (food) waste generated by businesses from the general (red lid) garbage bins to green lid FOGO bins which are collected during regular kerbside FOGO bin collections.
"This waste is then mixed at the Council green waste collection site and all materials composted. The addition of food waste to green waste has been proven through testing to improve the final composted product" the Mayor said .
Potentially this product could then be used on Council's public grounds including sports fields, parks and gardens, cemeteries etc. Importantly these actions result in valuable participation in the circular economy.