Applications for the Better Bins program closed on 30 June 2019.
A new program that revises Better Bins to focus on food organics and garden organics (FOGO) is currently being developed. The review and update to the Better Bins program will support a key headline strategy in the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 Action Plan (Action 2.2).
The Waste Authority has published a position statement on FOGO to support local governments on their implementation of better practice kerbside collection systems.
Better Bins
The Better Bins program provided funding to local governments to implement better practice kerbside collection services to support higher recovery and the achievement of the State Government's municipal solid waste targets. Better Bins encourages the use of a three-bin system (general waste, co-mingled recycling and food organics and/or garden organics) to support greater source separation and higher recovery.
The program also encourages local governments to provide effective education and engagement so that residents know how to get the most out of the new system, and requires local governments to transition to Australian standard bin and lid colours.
The Better Bins program opened in 2014 as a pilot, and was fully operational from 2016 to 30 June 2019. During this period, the State Government awarded over $14.6 million funding to 28 local governments delivering the program across more than 550,000 households in Western Australia, including:
- 19 metropolitan local governments
- 9 regional local governments
Of these, 16 local governments have committed to delivering food organics and garden organics (FOGO) kerbside collection services by 2026.
Following the launch of the Waste Strategy 2030 in February 2019, the State Government committed to implementing FOGO systems across the Perth metropolitan and Peel regions by 2025. To achieve this target, the State Government is developing a new program to support local governments in transitioning to FOGO systems.
The Better Bins program is supported by the WasteSorted Toolkit which helps local governments and regional councils to communicate with residents about how to sort their waste correctly.
To find out more, see the Better Bins Kerbside Collection Program Guidelines , contact the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Division on 6364 6965 or via email: betterpractice@dwer.wa.gov.au.