CITY of Kalamunda carried a motion last week to review the community impact of FOGO, but some councillors remained concerned the decision came too soon.

Kalamunda FOGO review motion carried reported the motion was passed but only after debate on the message it was sending to the community.

Back in 2019, the state government instructed all metropolitan local governments to implement the FOGO strategy by 2025 aiming to reduce biodegradable rubbish and improve recycling numbers.

In the following year, 10 local governments rolled out the new system and the City of Kalamunda decided on a 2024 timeline for the introduction of FOGO.

Councillor Kathy Ritchie said this allowed time for Kalamunda to plan for the rollout and learn from other local governments which were early adopters of the system.

“The decision to implement the three bin FOGO system was a unanimous decision of council, with support for a 140L general waste bin, in preference to the 120L selected by some other local governments.

Cr Ritchie said it was worth considering the situation other local governments that have implemented FOGO over the past five years were in.

“Cottesloe and Mosman Park have 120L general waste bins collected fortnightly,” she said.

“Bassendean, Belmont, Cambridge, East Fremantle, Fremantle, Melville, Mundaring, Nedlands, Subiaco, Swan and Vincent have 140L waste bins collected fortnightly.

“All retained the 240L for recyclable bins, and all introduced 240L for FOGO bins.

“The city was successful in gaining $1 million of government funding through the better bins grants so there would be no impost on ratepayers.

“We now know that the FOGO system is not costing any more than the previous system for waste collection.”

Cr Ritchie said 300 bins from High Wycombe, Maida Vale, Kalamunda and Lesmurdie were emptied and analysed by the Resource Recovery Group to provide a baseline for comparison before Kalamunda’s FOGO rollout.

“Across the four suburbs 19.4 per cent of waste were recyclables, 61.6 per cent organic material and 18.9 per cent general waste,” she said.

“General waste included miscellaneous 5 per cent, non-recyclable plastics 4 per cent, nappies 3 per cent, hazardous, medical, pathogenic infectious materials 1.65 per cent.

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“The suburb with the least general waste was Maida Vale with 15 per cent.”

Cr Ritchie said it was worth noting the new red bin capacity would adequately cover the 18.9 per cent shown in the waste audit, and overall capacity of waste had actually increased.

“Fast forward to September/October 2024 and the FOGO journey in Kalamunda is just beginning,” she said.

“For some residents with particular needs the new system would be challenging, especially for a smaller general rubbish bin with fortnightly collections.

“How have the other metropolitan local governments which have implemented FOGO over the past five years dealt with the same issues?

“All of these, similar to Kalamunda, have the opportunity for residents with special requests and needs to purchase a second bin.

“For most, this is for a second general waste bin, for others a second recycling or FOGO bin.

“In Kalamunda, 123 additional general waste bins and 44 bins under exceptional circumstances have been delivered.

“Also, 11 additional recycling and eight additional FOGO bins have been delivered.

“All councillors are acutely aware that any extra cost is not desirable, however for 67 cents per day for an extra bin and 40 cents a day for those with special circumstances, the cost is hopefully manageable.

“This seems a preferable and more equitable way of dealing with these requests, rather than all ratepayers facing a waste cost increase to cover these requests.

“Each of the local governments has had similar issues raised and these matters and/or petitions brought to their councils.

“In response, none of the other local governments changed either the capacity of the general waste bin or the frequency of collection.

“I have great faith that if the hundreds of thousands of residents in these local governments have adapted to the changes, then our 68,000 residents, with their exceptional community mindset, will rise to the challenge.”