Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
Suggested search terms
Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
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| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WASTE & LITTER S TRA TE G Y 2016-2040 | EVE ISTENE We will continue to provide additional waste services and programs which aim to generate increased resource recovery. This will be done by installing additional public place bins, continued participation in the Resource Recovery programs such as Detox your Home & Compost Revolution as well as exploring other campaigns and initiatives which promote reuse & resource recovery. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wyndham | Metropolitan |
| WASTE & LITTER S TRA TE G Y 2016-2040 | EVE ISTENE Wyndham City is committed to ensuring that waste generated at Council facilities and events are managed responsibly, ensuring there is appropriate bin infrastructure in place, adequate educational signage is installed and by eliminating non-recyclable food packaging at events. STRATEGIC DIRECTION TOWARDS 90% RESOURCE RECOVERY | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wyndham | Metropolitan |
| WASTE & LITTER S TRA TE G Y 2016-2040 | EVE ISTENE Wyndham City will continue to maintain knowledge of legislative changes as well as installing reverse vending machines within the municipality. These machines will allow residents to deposit beverage containers, in turn providing users with a small incentive such as vouchers, competition entries or fundraising options for the local community. The machines will be used in strategic locations such as shopping and aquatic centres. Usage and litter levels will be monitored in order to assess impacts locally as well as helping to develop Wyndham City’s stance to the State Government. STRATEGIC DIRECTION TOWARDS 90% RESOURCE RECOVERY Installation of reverse vending machines for the collection of beverage containers as a trial. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wyndham | Metropolitan |
| WASTE & LITTER S TRA TE G Y 2016-2040 | EVE ISTENE Wyndham City will create a campaign promoting avoidance of single use plastic bags, as well as continuing to work with our recycling processing company SKM to investigate ways to recover and recycle plastic bags. We will also continue to maintain knowledge of legislation changes. STRATEGIC DIRECTION TOWARDS 90% RESOURCE RECOVERY | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wyndham | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | • An increase in the number of food waste avoidance and community composting programs/events and participation | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Actions to support this strategic commitment are: Actions Continue programs targeting food waste avoidance programs including working in partnership with other stakeholders and the community Timeframes Approximate cost Continue $5,000 per year and staff time Funding source Waste Service Charge | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Council supports food waste avoidance through the delivery of capacity building programs and awareness raising. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Council will support community behaviour change and education that avoids, reduces, reuses and recycles waste and litter. Council’s community engagement and education on waste and litter initiatives is very important and has shown to be valued by the community. Key elements of Council’s focus will include avoiding and reusing before recycling, treatment or disposal. There will be a focus on food waste avoidance, reducing the use of single use plastics, recycling right, litter reduction, and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Provide community engagement and education on waste and litter initiatives focusing on reducing the use of single use plastics, food waste avoidance, reusing, recycling right,litter reduction and e-waste recycling | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Develop a policy and process to establish community gardens and community compost initiatives | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | • An increase in the number of food waste avoidance and community composting programs/events and participation | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | An example of food waste recovery is composting and worm farming. Council promotes home composting and worm farming through a range of programs. As of February 2019 a total of 555 composting systems were purchased and 30,000 kilograms of waste has been diverted from landfil, saving over $6,000 in landfill costs. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Continue Council’s involvement in subsidy schemes for home composting or worm farming systems | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Develop a policy and process to establish community gardens and community compost initiatives | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Strategy 1.1: Avoid food waste Strategy 1.2: Increase the recovery of organic waste | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | A role of the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group (MWRRG) is to build the metropolitan capacity of the organics recovery and processing network and to support councils to implement food waste recovery services for households and commercial food waste producers. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Actions Trial food waste recovery services Prepare a business case seeking to implement food waste recovery services to all households by 2022 Investigate food waste recycling options for the commercial sector Explore the introduction of smaller garbage bins Develop a policy and process to establish community gardens and community compost initiatives Continue Council’s involvement in subsidy schemes for home composting or worm farming systems Timeframes Approximate cost By December 2019 (or earlier) $50,000 – $100,000 Funding source Waste Management Financial Reserve June 2020 Within staff time Waste Service Charge June 2022 Within staff time Waste Service Charge 2020 Commence 2019 Continue Within staff time Waste Service Charge Within staff time Operational $30,000 per year and staff time Waste Service Charge | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Advocate for industry action on product stewardship including reducing the use of single use plastic | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | An example of food waste recovery is composting and worm farming. Council promotes home composting and worm farming through a range of programs. As of February 2019 a total of 555 composting systems were purchased and 30,000 kilograms of waste has been diverted from landfil, saving over $6,000 in landfill costs. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Council aims to continuously improve waste and litter services where possible through innovation and to lead by example. Achieving the best outcomes for Hobsons Bay requires Council to effectively manage risks and maximise opportunities wherever possible. Areas that this strategy strives to be innovative is through the implementation of a household food waste recovery service and seeking alternatives to landfill. Also looking at other opportunities for a greater proportion of our community to have access to a wider range of recycling services. These include the following: • a commercial food waste recovery service | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Council supports food waste avoidance through the delivery of capacity building programs and awareness raising. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Council will continue to support and empower community groups and organisations to share knowledge and expertise as well as collaborate in the development and implementation of waste and litter programs. This will include providing environment grants, promoting community activities, and providing staff support for these activities. In response to the Hobsons Bay 2030 Community Vision, Council established seven Portfolio Advisory Committees to support the development and implementation of Council’s strategic directions outlined in the Council Plan 2017-21. The purpose of the advisory groups is to actively engage with the community and stakeholders and to bring together local knowledge and expertise on seven key areas. The focus of the Environmental Sustainability Portfolio Advisory Committee is to embed environmental sustainability in Council decision making, operations and services to enhance Hobsons Bay’s position as a leading Council in Melbourne’s western region. The committee also supports the implementation of Council’s suite of environmental and waste management policies and assists in identifying key advocacy opportunities in relation to sustainability and environmental issues of relevance to Hobsons Bay. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Council will support community behaviour change and education that avoids, reduces, reuses and recycles waste and litter. Council’s community engagement and education on waste and litter initiatives is very important and has shown to be valued by the community. Key elements of Council’s focus will include avoiding and reusing before recycling, treatment or disposal. There will be a focus on food waste avoidance, reducing the use of single use plastics, recycling right, litter reduction, and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Develop a policy and implementation plan to phase out single use products in Council’s venues, functions and events | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Goal 1 Reduce and recover food waste | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Goal 1 Reduce and recover food waste STRATEGY 1.1: AVOID FOOD WASTE Council will support the community to avoid waste | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | In 2018 the MWRRG prepared a business case to inform local government’s decision about joining a potential group procurement for alternative waste treatment facilities. Key findings of the business case were that: • alternative waste treatment can recover more resources from waste currently sent to landfill and help keep more waste out of landfill • food and garden organics recycling is important but some form of energy recovery will be required | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Provide community engagement and education on waste and litter initiatives focusing on reducing the use of single use plastics, food waste avoidance, reusing, recycling right,litter reduction and e-waste recycling | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | STRATEGY 1.2: INCREASE THE RECOVERY OF ORGANIC WASTE Council aims to increase the amount of waste diverted from landfill from the household waste service to 54 per cent by June 2022. It is important to understand that while food waste avoidance is the preferred strategy, it presents a number of challenges. Therefore food waste recovery and avoidance initiatives are likely to be required at the same time and for many years to come if land filling is to be avoided. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |
| Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025 | Targets have been based on current baseline data and modelling of food waste recovery scenarios completed for Hobsons Bay that considers participation and potential recovery levels. Targets have also been based on actions in this strategy. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Hobsons Bay | Metropolitan |