Food and Garden Waste Service

You will be able to put loose food scraps into your garden waste bin.

Food must not be in a bag or container of any sort.

There will be no additional cost to residents who already have a garden waste bin.
 

If you do not currently have a garden waste bin and would like one please contact Council’s customer service team on 8571 1000 or visit the Bin Options and Charges page.

If you are a tenant and would like to add a garden waste bin to your services, you will need to speak directly to your landlord / property manager first. This must be done before applying for a kitchen caddy.

Yes, you can change the size of your existing Garden Waste Bin by changing your bin option to either upgrade or downsize your garden waste bin.

If you are a tenant and would like to add a garden waste bin to your services, you will need to speak directly to your landlord / property manager first. This must be done before applying for a kitchen caddy.

Households can opt for either a 120L or 240L garden waste bin. For more information visit the Bin Options and Charges page.

That's excellent. Thank you for doing this – please keep up the great work.

However, if you are still continuing to place some of your garden materials or food scraps that are not suited to composting in your garbage bin – then a food and garden waste bin can actually complement backyard composting, helping you to divert ALL your food waste and garden waste material away from landfill and making sure none of this valuable resource goes to waste.
 

A kitchen caddy is a small, lidded container used for storing and transporting of food scraps

A kitchen caddy can make it easier to collect your food scraps as you prepare food in the kitchen.

Keep your kitchen caddy handy as you prepare food, place your food scraps in to your caddy and then when it is full, carry it to your garden waste bin and tip the loose food scraps into your green lid garden waste bin.

You do not need a kitchen caddy to start recycling your food scraps.

Any container will do – although we do recommend a lid – so an old ice cream tub or similar makes a great caddy.  And you can always replace it with a new one too – don’t forget to recycle your old ice cream tub when you are finished, just a quick rinse and it’s ready for the yellow lid bin. 

If you are a tenant with an existing green lid food and garden waste service and would like to apply for a kitchen caddy, you may register online for your free kitchen caddy. 

Approval from your landlord / property manager is no longer required. 

If you are a tenant and would like to add a garden waste bin to your services, you will need to speak directly to your landlord / property manager first. This must be done before applying for a kitchen caddy.
 

To be eligible to receive a kitchen caddy, residents MUST have an existing green lid food and garden waste bin.

Eligible residents can pick up a kitchen caddy in-person at the nearest customer service centre. 

A ‘How to guide on food waste recycling’ and a fridge magnet will be included with your kitchen caddy.

Residents who do not have a current garden waste service are not eligible for a kitchen caddy. 

Residents can change their bin option to include a garden waste service - Council will need to process your change of bin option application before you can apply for your kitchen caddy. 

Remember – you do not need a kitchen caddy to recycle your food scraps in your green lid bin! Any container with a lid will do - although we do recommend a lid - so an old ice cream tub or similar makes a great caddy. 

City of Greater Dandenong’s collections cycles will remain fortnightly for Garden waste (green lid) after the introduction of food waste recycling from 5 April and the household general waste (red lid) will remain weekly.

1. Collect food scraps in a kitchen caddy or a similar container

2. Empty the food scraps from your kitchen caddy into the green lid bin

3. Place your food and garden waste bin out on your kerb for collection

• Store your food and garden waste bin in a shaded area
• Layer your food waste in between garden waste material such as grass clippings and leaves
• You can wrap your food waste in 1-2 sheets of kitchen paper towel or a single sheet of newspaper before placing into your bin
• Store food waste in a sealed container (eg an old ice cream container) in your freezer until the night before collection and then empty directly into the bin
• Rinse out your kitchen caddy and green lid food and garden waste bin regularly
   

For further information please refer to the food waste recycling information guide.

Food waste recycling information guide - 6MB

Thank you for using your garden waste bin for garden waste and keeping this material out of landfill. 

To make sure you can also divert your food scraps away from landfill, consider establishing a backyard compost bin for some of your excess garden materials and food waste in addition to utilising your garden waste bin.

Food waste actually does not take up a large amount of volume in your bin so you may be surprised what you can fit in!

To maximise space in your bin, you can layer your food waste with garden waste. 

If you find you have an excess of garden and food waste materials, you can order an additional garden waste bin by contacting Council and asking for an upgrade of your collection service to add an additional garden waste bin.

Details of the bin options and costs are available on the Bin Options and Charges page
 

No. The process which is used to turn the food and garden material in the garden waste bins is highly specialised and is designed to create a quality compost as quick as possible. Unfortunately the composting process is not designed to break down the compost liners quick enough – including those marked with the Australian Standard.

It is preferred that you line your kitchen caddy with either newspaper or paper towel. These not only breakdown easily in the composting process but also absorb liquids.

Placing items loosely into the bin also aids the composting process.

By not accepting any kind of bags (including compostable ones) we are minimising the risk of soft plastics finding their way into the food and garden waste bin. 

Items such as plastic bags, wrappers, food containers and other general waste items cannot be processed by the composting facility.