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Food waste and why you should take the sticker off your apple
Feb 10, 2025
Kate Lyons, a Guardian reporter specializing in environmental issues, dives into the complexities of food waste management in New South Wales. She explains the FOGO initiative, highlighting its potential to transform waste into compost while sparking debate among residents. The conversation reveals the environmental benefits of composting for soil health and the challenges of transporting compost to regional farms. Lyons also stresses the importance of proper waste disposal and the misconceptions surrounding recycling practices.
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Quick takeaways
- The FOGO initiative aims to significantly reduce food waste in Australia by promoting separate collection of compostable materials, engaging communities in sustainable practices.
- Successful composting processes rely on proper waste sorting by the public, as contaminants can severely hinder the creation of nutrient-rich compost essential for soil health.
Deep dives
Understanding FOGO and Its Importance
FOGO stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics, a waste collection initiative designed to separate food and garden waste from regular rubbish. This scheme has recently gained attention in New South Wales, where there are plans for it to become mandatory by 2030, with all councils required to implement it. Despite initial skepticism and backlash regarding changes to waste collection schedules, many residents have adapted quickly and now show a strong commitment to waste sorting. This initiative plays a critical role in addressing environmental concerns, as nearly 45% of the waste in general bins is food waste, which contributes to methane emissions when sent to landfills.
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