Background
In Australia, over 5 million tonnes of food ends up as landfill, enough to fill 9,000 Olympic sized swimming pools!
Food waste that is sent to landfill decomposes to produce potent greenhouse gases. Instead, if recovered, this nutrient-rich resource can be used to produce valuable biogas, compost, and fertiliser.
With the help of a State Government Community and Industry Engagement (CIE) grant, the City of Cockburn ran a Commercial Food Waste Trial with local food retailers and restaurants to prevent waste going to landfill and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The positive results of the trial led to this service becoming a permanent option for local businesses.
Participating Cockburn food retailers, producers, and restaurants will pay an annual charge of $135 per 140L or $215 per 240L commercial food waste bin service, less than the City’s annual general waste service fee for businesses.
Commercial food waste is taken to Richgro’s anaerobic digestion plant in Jandakot, to generate high quality biofertiliser and electricity (via methane capture) to go back into the electricity grid.
As part of the service, business participants are provided with training and enough food waste bins to service the needs of the business. The City's waste team monitor the food waste and any contamination, to ensure a clean product is delivered to Richgro.
Get involved
The City's Commercial Food Waste Service will help local businesses (such as food retailers and restaurants) to become more environmentally sustainable, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce waste to landfill, and reduce costs of the general waste service.
Local businesses interested in the Commercial Food Waste Service must submit an application form in the link below.
Commercial Food Waste Application Form
Each application will be assessed and eligible businesses will be notified within five business days.
More information and contact
If you have any further queries, contact the City's Waste Education Coordinator on 08 9411 3444 or
email.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)