Frequently Asked Questions

• Seek community feedback to help shape the  Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for the next 5 years.   
• Continue the conversation about waste and to verify if community attitudes and preferences have changed since the Future of Waste Services Questionnaire in 2021.
• Establish clarity on current usage of waste services.

Wollondilly residents and ratepayers can take the questionnaire.

All responses will be collated and reviewed, and the information will be used to determine the priorities for the new Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy & Action Plan (2025-30).

A Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy and Action Plan (also known as Waste Strategy) is a document which guides Council towards the delivery of environmentally, economically and socially sustainable waste management systems, policies and practices.

Waste Strategies generally outline:

• Council’s key activities in the management of waste
• Legislative compliance (e.g. planning for State or Federal Government mandates)
• Specific actions aimed at achieving the objectives of the Strategy
• Target completion dates for each action
• Expected outcomes from each action.

Waste Strategies are active for a certain period of time (usually 5 to 10 years) and are regularly reviewed during this period.

If you wish to provide any further information or be involved in further discussions, please email brianna.murray@wollondilly.nsw.gov.au.

FOGO is a kerbside waste collection service where residents place food waste in the green-lid garden organics bin instead of the red-lid garbage bin. The food and organics waste is then processed and recycled into nutrient rich compost, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Currently, Wollondilly does not offer the FOGO service, however, the NSW Government’s Waste and Sustainable Material Strategy 2041, which was adopted in 2021, requires councils to make this service available to all NSW households by 2030. 

Council is currently preparing to introduce FOGO into Wollondilly households with the commencement of the next Waste Disposal Contract in 2029, alongside our regional partner Councils of Camden, Campbelltown and Wingecarribee.

Currently, Council provides two scheduled bulky waste clean-up collections each financial year to residential properties using our waste services. These collections are to assist with the removal of bulky household materials.

The alternative to a scheduled service is a bookable clean-up service. This involves residents booking in a clean-up when it suits them. This service is more flexible for residents allowing them to plan for their collection when its needed.

Results from a ‘Future of Waste Services’ Survey completed in 2021, told us that 59% of residents wanted to change to bookable clean-up service or were happy with either a bookable or scheduled clean-up service.

Council is currently preparing to transition to a bookable on-call bulky waste clean-up service from 2026.

Council’s current Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy and Action Plan (2020-25)is available online.

Some standout achievements include:

• Introducing a trial wood chipping service
• Weekly recycling collections over the summer holiday peak
• Lobbying State Government for the installation of additional Return and Earn reverse vending machines resulted in new machines at Picton, The Oaks and Appin. 
• Increased advocacy to State and Federal Governments on landfill diversion and other waste related matters including:
  1. Plastic Bags Ban
  2. Reduction of Packaging 
  3. Reduction of Packaging
  4. FOGO Mandate
  5. Waste Levy Review
• Landfill closure and remediation plan prepared for Bargo Waste Management Centre
• Continued to support resource recovery events including the Household Chemical CleanOut, textile donation event & Garage Sale Trail 
• Waste diversion at Council events including Illuminate and Thirlmere Festival of Steam.