FOGO: All You Need to Know

The new service will provide an 80-litre bin to all households and businesses in the urban and primarily residential areas of the district. It will exclude all rural areas south of Waipa, rural agricultural areas north of Lake Rotorua, due to too few collection points and long travel distances, which are not economically or environmentally viable. Ōkāreka and Mamaku are also excluded.

A weekly rubbish collection will remain in place for those living outside the organic collection areas.

Factors taken into consideration in determining the service area included travel distances and the need to have sufficient collection points to ensure the service would be economically and environmentally viable.

Under the previous contract, bins were to be manufactured in New Zealand and delivered to homes from May, with a service start date of 1 July 2026. However, Council was notified in late April to a global supply issue affecting the manufacturer, including difficulties sourcing some materials from overseas.

These manufacturing, shipping, and cost issues have since been resolved, with bins to be sourced from an international supplier with a more secure supply chain. This has enabled us to confirm a new start date of 1 October 2026.

7 May 2026 - FOGO start date delayed

7 July 2025 – Minutes of meeting relating to Council decision to award FOGO contract released. Release of Council decision made on 3 July 2024

Minutes of Infrastructure and Environment Committee Meeting - Wednesday, 3 July 2024

7 January 2025 – Media enquiry about various elements of the new organics collection service: 7 January 2025 - Rotorua Lakes Council

6 January 2025 – Contract awarded to organic waste collection service: Contract awarded for organic waste collection service - Rotorua Lakes Council

31 October 2024 – Organic waste collection part of annual plan discussions: 2025/2026 Annual Plan discussions begin - Rotorua Lakes Council

30 August 2023 – Media enquiry and RLC response re food and organic waste collection progress: 30 August 2023 - Rotorua Lakes Council

29 May 2023 – Rotorua a step closer to reducing waste carbon footprint through introduction of green and food waste collection: Council plans to reduce waste emissions - Rotorua Lakes Council

11 May 2023 – Procurement for organic waste collection to progress: Infrastructure and Environment Committee decisions - Rotorua Lakes Council

16 May 2022 – Community consultation on proposed organic waste collection: Organic Waste Collection (FOGO) | Participate Rotorua Lakes Council

Many other Councils already use this system allowing them to keep costs down while maintaining the same volume waste removal across each fortnight. They include: Tauranga, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki and Matamata Piako, Waimakariri, Timaru, Mackenzie, Waimate, Dunedin, Otago, Christchurch, Invercargill, Gore, Grey, Westland and Blenheim.

Businesses in urban areas that pay a targeted rate will receive organics diversion services. Businesses that produce large volumes of food waste are able to request additional bin capacity from the service provider, for a fee.

Very large commercial businesses are responsible for managing their own waste.

In the CBD:

• Food‑registered businesses within the central CBD will receive a 140L FOGO bin which will be collected weekly
• Non-food registered businesses and residential units within the CBD will not automatically receive a FOGO bin but can opt in if they need one.

Outside of the CBD but within FOGO zone:

• Your business will be included in the FOGO service and will receive a FOGO bin which will be collected weekly.

No, properties outside of the FOGO zone will not be charged for the service and will continue to have weekly rubbish collection.

Properties within the service zone can’t opt out of the new service. Like water, sewage, and roads, everyone in the area contributes to the cost. The service supports the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan and could cut Council’s carbon footprint by up to 70%. You may return the bin if you don’t want to use it, but you’ll still be part of the service if you’re in the zone.

The new service has gross annual operating costs of $2.45 m, partly offset by reduced landfill costs of about $1.6 m (from diverting 6,000 tonnes of waste), resulting in a net increase of:

Residential (80l bins): Targeted rate of $27.52 inc. GST per year. For households that use the service this equates to approximately 51 cents per collection.

CBD (140l bins): Targeted rate of $55.04 inc. GST per year for CBD food premises in the FOGO service area.

While diverting organic waste reduces landfill expenses, it also adds a new collection cost. Landfill savings help offset this but don’t make the service fully cost neutral; the targeted rate increase covers the additional cost. Landfill costs continue to rise due to Central Government levies and changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme, which account for around 60% of landfill expenses.