Mayoral Column – FOGO transition help for businesses

Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Penrith City Council continues to be a proud leader in waste management and resource recovery, and our community’s remarkable uptake of the Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) collection from homes and some local businesses plays an important role.

There is now a NSW Government mandate that requires businesses to separate food organics from general waste. These new reforms apply to many businesses in our growing community that sell, prepare or handle food - cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, schools, clubs and other large food waste generators. Change can be challenging and it’s important that we get the transition right, so Council is here to help.

We have secured funding through the NSW Government’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to deliver the FOGO for Business program, a free initiative aimed at helping businesses understand the staged reform changes, improve resource recovery practices and identify opportunities to reduce waste and operating costs.

Council is offering free in-person and online educational workshops, free on-site waste assessments, tailored advice and practical waste action plans, and ongoing support to improve waste management practices.

Businesses can register for an upcoming workshop or express interest in a waste assessment on our website at penrith.city/fogoinbusinesses. You can also learn more about the EPA’s new rules at www.epa.nsw.gov.au.

Supporting businesses is a key action in Council’s Waste and Resource Strategy 2025-31, building on our work around environmental stewardship and collective efforts to contribute to the circular economy.

As the first metropolitan council to introduce FOGO in 2009, we welcome this important regulatory change and look forward to engaging more businesses. This is another great opportunity to divert valuable FOGO matter from landfill, cut greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future.

There are many benefits to recycling food scraps and organic material. For example, some of Penrith’s FOGO waste gets turned into nutrient-rich compost that is used as topsoil on sporting fields and in gardens across the City.

Visit penrith.city/waste for more information.

Cr Todd Carney
Mayor of Penrith

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Wednesday, 26 August 2026.