community services · Inner West Council
Inner West parks FOGO trial ends after low participation, high contamination
Inner West Council has stopped the public-park organics trial before Phase 2 and will provide its findings to the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
Inner West Council has ended Phase 1 of its FOGO in parks trial after low participation and high contamination, ruling out a second phase across public spaces.
FOGO stands for Food Organics Garden Organics, which separates food and garden waste for collection and processing. The council resolved on 22 September to conclude the parks trial and provide its data and learnings to the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
The resolution was moved by Cr Mat Howard and Cr Andrew Blake. It passed with 14 councillors voting in favour and no votes against. Cr Ismet Tastan was absent for the vote.
The outcome applies to the current public-park trial. It does not affect the separate plan to expand FOGO to multi-unit dwellings across the Inner West.
Planning for that expansion is due to begin in October 2026, with universal access targeted by December 2027. Council staff will investigate peer-to-peer support between buildings, including advice from strata schemes and buildings that have successfully introduced FOGO.
Staff will also conduct a targeted trial of the planned approach at Cardinal Freeman Retirement Community, or another location if Cardinal Freeman does not participate.
The parks trial data will be provided to the NSW Environment Protection Authority to inform further work on FOGO in parks and public spaces. Council has not announced another public-park trial or a timetable for a new rollout.
For park users, the current service will stop before Phase 2. The separate apartment-focused FOGO program remains scheduled for planning from October, with access across multi-unit dwellings targeted by the end of 2027.
Reference minutes
The decision was made by Inner West Council at its ordinary meeting on 22 September 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Inner West Council resolved to end Phase 1 of its FOGO in parks trial.
- Council will not proceed to Phase 2 because participation was low and contamination levels were high.
- The decision passed with 14 votes in favour and none against, with Cr Tastan absent.
- Trial data and learnings will be provided to the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
- The separate staged expansion of FOGO to multi-unit dwellings remains targeted for universal access by December 2027.
- Planning for the multi-unit dwelling program is due to begin in October 2026.
Why it matters
- Public-park FOGO will not continue after low participation and high contamination, while the findings will inform further work on organics services in parks and public spaces.