The FOGO pickup truck in Belconnen. The pilot service has been a hit, but the rest of Canberra has a long wait to catch up. Photo: Chris Steel Facebook.
A composting facility for all of Canberra’s food and garden waste may have been pushed back until at least 2026, but the ACT Government is still working on how to deliver the project.
It has the site, the money and a successful trial in Belconnen under its belt, and it has now issued a request for information (RFI) from industry to identify a long-term Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) solution for the Territory to own and run at the Hume Resource Recovery Estate. However, the government is open to private participation.
The FOGO facility and service was supposed to be up and running this year, but the government decided to delay the project after the fire at the Materials Resource Facility last Christmas to focus on fast-tracking a new MRF.
Eventually, the FOGO facility will process more than 50,000 tonnes of compost a year, and Canberrans outside of the Belconnen trial suburbs, especially the growing number living in apartments or townhouses who cannot easily compost, are eager for a service to be rolled out.
A government spokesperson said feedback and information from industry was being sought on a range of technology options and solutions to divert FOGO from landfill rather than taking up an option already in use elsewhere, saying the technology was constantly evolving and changing.
“We want to be at the forefront of innovation in this technology to ensure the new FOGO facility is fit-for-purpose and is future-proofed to serve the Canberra community for decades to come,” the spokesperson said.
“By undertaking a request for information, the ACT Government can better understand the nature of this technology and the innovation across the sector to ensure we can deliver the best possible procurement outcome for a long-term waste facility.”
The spokesperson said this approach would not affect overall procurement timeframes.
A draft environmental impact statement was expected before the end of the year to be publicly released in early 2024 for community feedback.
It seeks industry information on potential equity investment and ownership, identification of markets for end products, revenue streams and potential sale of services to third parties.
Respondents should demonstrate relevant recent experience designing, delivering and operating organic waste facilities, particularly for FOGO.
The Commonwealth has already contributed $13 million towards a FOGO facility.
The trial remains ongoing and is being evaluated so its lesson can be applied to the eventual extension of the service.
The tender closes on 30 January 2024.
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