Provision of consultant analysis for regional feasibility of FOGO and FO services in metro Sydney

Summary and scope

This project will engage a consultant to understand and analyse the organics market, identify best practice Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) and Food Organics (FO) service implementation, including onsite organics processing options, multi-unit dwellings (MUDs) and single dwellings (SDs) at each stage of the organics recovery process, from planning and early community engagement to end markets for processed organics, based on consolidated learnings from all relevant domestic and international FOGO/FO programs and research, the state of the NSW organics industry, NSW EPA policy, and the consultant’s evidence-based recommendations. The project will also explore the feasibility and implications of approaches both individually and jointly/regionally, including feasible arrangements for regional collection and processing, and provisions to increase local government leverage in the contracts while activating a closed-loop value chain for organic materials in the market. Findings will inform councils’ current and future organics recovery strategies, infrastructure investment and contract arrangements. For councils already providing FOGO or FO services, the findings will activate investigations into joint arrangements, service adjustments, and possible alignment of contracts.