ACT's FOGO waste recycling program delayed again, now targeting 2030 rollout

The rollout of a program to recycle food and garden waste into compost across the ACT has been delayed again.

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection was originally scheduled to come into effect in 2023, but in 2024 the need to replace Canberra’s recycling centre after a fire saw the scheme's expansion deferred until 2026.

In 2025, the scheme's Canberra-wide expansion was further delayed until 2028.

But in a budget estimates hearing last week, ACT City and Government Services Minister Tara Cheyne confirmed the territory government was now aiming to introduce FOGO collection throughout the territory by 2030.

"This is a complex city-shaping project," Ms Cheyne said.

ACT Greens Leader Jo Clay said she was horrified to hear of the hold-up.

"This is not climate action; this shows that climate is just not a priority for this government," she said.

"It's also a real shame for Canberrans. A lot of people really want to be able to recycle their food waste."

Ms Clay said she had not seen "any good reasons" for the delay.

"This is not difficult technology. This is very well established," Ms Clay said.

"And actually, the ACT now is a decade, and two decades, behind a lot of other regions."

She said her constituents regularly ask when the FOGO scheme will be available to them.

Scheme delayed by need for new facility

Before the FOGO collection scheme can be rolled out across the territory, a dedicated facility needs to be built to process at least 50,000 tonnes of waste.

Ms Cheyne told senate estimates that the scheme is being delivered through a two-stage procurement process.

The request for proposals is expected to be released in the coming weeks, shortlisting three contractors for the new facility.

But Ms Cheyne highlighted FOGO does exist for some Canberrans, with the ACT having been one of the first jurisdictions in the country to implement it.

A pilot program has been in place for more than 6,000 households in Belconnen, Cook, Macquarie and some Tuggeranong apartments since 2021.

Ms Cheyne said it had received positive feedback.

"Attitudes have always been pretty positive about FOGO, but they have also improved over time," Ms Cheyne said.

"We have been able to shape our response for some households where the fortnightly red bin collection has been challenging for whatever reason.

As of September 2025, 38 per cent of Australians had access to a FOGO collection service.

The National Waste Policy Action Plan aims for the service to be available to all metropolitan houses and businesses by 2030.

A problem Canberrans 'can solve in their kitchens'

From 2024-25, waste accounted for six per cent of Canberra's emissions.

Ms Clay questioned whether delaying the FOGO implantation would impact Canberra's ability to meet its target of net zero by 2045.

"This is a real problem, because food waste generates climate emissions for 20 years after going into landfill," she said.

She said the ACT Greens would continue to push the territory government on the scheme's rollout.

"Our waste emissions are going up; climate change is a problem," Ms Clay said.

"We have a climate crisis and people know that they want to solve this, and this is a problem that they can solve in their kitchens.

"People really want this solution."