Are Bin Liners Allowed in FOGO Bins?
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Quick Answer: Sometimes
There is no single rule that allows every type of bin liner in every Australian Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service.
Some programs permit specified compostable kitchen caddy liners. Others ask residents to place food scraps loose in the outdoor FOGO bin or use another method listed by the local council. The rules for a small kitchen caddy liner may also differ from those for a liner placed inside an entire outdoor bin.
Check your council’s current instructions before putting any liner in a FOGO bin. If you supply liners to a council or commercial collection program, also confirm the requirements of the waste contractor and receiving facility.
For example, NSW EPA permits compostable plastic kitchen caddy liners that comply with AS 4736-2006 for collecting and transferring food waste to NSW FO/FOGO bins. Its guidance does not treat AS 5810 home-compostable products as acceptable on that basis.
Official source: NSW EPA: What can and can’t go in your FOGO bin
Why Do FOGO Liner Rules Vary?
A FOGO service must collect material that its receiving facility can process into compost. Councils and waste contractors set collection instructions around that facility’s processes and contamination controls.
This is why a “compostable” label alone cannot answer whether a particular bag belongs in a particular bin. The decision can depend on the product type, its certification, how it is used and the local program’s acceptance rules.
Also distinguish between:
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Kitchen caddy liners: small bags used to collect and transfer food scraps.
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Full-bin liners: larger bags fitted inside indoor collection bins or outdoor wheelie bins.
Permission to use a certified kitchen caddy liner does not automatically mean that a program permits a full-bin liner.
What Liner Should You Check?
If your program allows compostable plastic kitchen caddy liners, look for its exact product instructions. Check the required compostability standard, any specified certification mark, and whether the approval applies to the finished liner being supplied.
AS 4736 relates to commercial composting and is relevant to permitted compostable plastic kitchen caddy liners in programs such as NSW’s FO/FOGO system. AS 5810 relates to home composting; it should not be assumed to replace an AS 4736 requirement for FOGO collection.
For a council purchase or B2B supply project, confirm that the certificate covers the intended finished-product configuration, including relevant material, thickness, color and printing. Then obtain confirmation that the receiving program accepts that product and its intended use.
This article does not establish approval for a particular ORIZON liner or for any 120L or 240L full-bin liner. Those applications require their own product and program review.
What Bags Should You Not Assume Are Acceptable?
Do not put a bag into FOGO solely because its packaging says “biodegradable,” “plant-based,” “eco-friendly” or “home compostable.” Those descriptions do not establish acceptance by your local service.
Conventional plastic liners and oxo-degradable bags should not be treated as compostable kitchen caddy liners. Likewise, a certification mark should be checked against the product and the program rules rather than treated as permission for every FOGO bin.
Paper or fibre-based caddy liners may be an option in some programs, but residents should follow their own council’s instructions for the type and use permitted. If the instructions are unclear, keep the liner out of the FOGO bin until the council confirms it.
How Do You Check Your Local FOGO Program?
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Find the current “what goes in your FOGO bin” instructions on your council’s website.
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Check whether the instructions permit a kitchen caddy liner, a paper liner, loose food scraps or another specified method.
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If compostable plastic liners are permitted, check the required standard, mark and product type.
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Check separately before using a liner inside a large indoor bin or outdoor wheelie bin.
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For a supply project, obtain the waste contractor’s or receiving facility’s requirements before approving product specifications or packaging artwork.
When the local instructions and a product label differ, follow the collection program’s instructions or ask the council for clarification.
- For Australian standards and local requirements: Australia Compostable Bags Requirements
- For certification and B2B procurement: FOGO Compostable Bags
- For liner sizes and product specifications: FOGO Bin Liners
