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).
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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 MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Collection and processing of food waste at festivals – currently only done at Stringybark Festival. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Composting of food waste – implementing this including taking ownership for managing this. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | External stakeholders – Changing over to collect food organics with garden waste is not a big problem if 3 bin system at same frequency is to be introduced. – In-vessel organics processing is needed for household organic waste including food and green waste (e.g. Port Macquarie). | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Flexible plastics (e.g. wrap) is currently coming through the recycling stream in the commercial service and is a contaminant. Would be good to explore whether receivers can accept as a product and if so what service could be provided. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | If Council moves to providing food organics collection this would be the time to change the colours of bins. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Inclusion of food waste into the green waste bin which would require weekly collection and garbage bin would change to fortnightly collection. This is estimated to increase the annual expenditure for green waste by approximately $ 800,000 per annum. There is no timeframe for this. If introduced would most likely be around 2019/2020. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Inclusion of non traditional items into the kerbside collected recycle bins commencing in July 2014 eg. hard plastics such as food storage containers and toys and metal items such as pots, pans and oven trays. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Investigate options for incorporating food waste into an organics bins. Introduce new organics waste bins (weekly) when viable Regional Facilities for food organics and residual waste are established. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Knox is advised to undertake its own bin audits focusing on food waste, household chemicals and recyclables. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | New organics processing facility for SE Metro Region (not for Knox) about to be confirmed (tender process nearly complete). Indictors are that industry will respond favourably for Eastern Metro (incl. Knox) organics processing facility to be the next one developed. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Non recyclable plastic cups, tea or coffee paper cups and wooden stirrers provided for Council meetings. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Opportunities for Improvement The improvement will be in the acceptance of a tender for the development of a regional organics composting facility that can accept food waste. This regional facility could be available for the outer eastern Melbourne Councils and may be part of an Alternate Resource Recovery Facility. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Provide initial and ongoing funding from savings in processing costs for reduction in green organics collected for intensive marketing and promotions campaigns aimed at encouraging home composting and/or on-site treatment of organic material. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | Review frequency of collection and if appropriate introduce new residual waste bins collected fortnightly with organics waste bins collected weekly if Regional Facilities for food organics and residual waste are established. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | The audit revealed the following: • • • • The total waste stream consisted by weight of 59.1% recyclable paper, 19.7% residual waste items, 13.7% food and garden waste and 7.5% recyclable containers | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | The contracts for the kerbside collection of bin based domestic waste, recyclables and green waste to provide the capacity and flexibility to incorporate changes in waste treatment, including the processing of food waste through Advanced Waste Treatment (AWT). | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 – 2021 | The projections will be influenced by possible changes to the waste receival service through advanced waste treatment and the treatment of organics. This could result in the removal of food waste from the garbage bin and inclusion in an ‘organics bin’ which will include green waste. This is dependent on a facility being available to Knox that can process the organics product. The organics bin contents would be processed into a composted product for re-use thereby diverting the food waste component from landfilling. Collection costs are anticipated to be higher, however processing costs will be lower compared to the current situation where food waste is landfilled. The introduction of such a service is not anticipated over the life of this contract, however would require consultation with the community due to changes in the service. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Waste Management St rategy | a sustainable agricultural industry, including direct and indirect support for businesses. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | 7. Waste Education If a kerbside FOGO collection service is introduced, adequately resource necessary education programs to achieve the necessary behaviour change in the community. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | A range of partnership events are held each year to promote the waste reduction message to audiences of all ages including local community groups such as community houses, community gardens | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | 7. Waste Education If a kerbside FOGO collection service is introduced, adequately resource necessary education programs to achieve the necessary behaviour change in the community. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | 8. Other Service Opportunities Investigate the viability of making South Gippsland Shire Council a plastic bag free community. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | An investigation into the viability of improving the South Gippsland Shire’s existing kerbside green waste collection service to be a FOGO collection service is planned for 2016/17. The investigation will look for viable composting options and facilities, preferably within the local region. Outcomes of the investigation may be influenced by the outcomes of the Collaborative Waste Investment Project that the six Gippsland councils are currently undertaking. This project aims to encourage the establishment of alternative waste processing facilities in Gippsland. A resulting facility may well be able to accept combined food and green waste from the South Gippsland Shire. If it is determined that a FOGO collection is viable the service would be included in the next kerbside waste collection tender. The earliest this contract could be renewed is 1 February 2020, however the existing contract could be extended for up to three years at the discretion of Council. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | If a FOGO collection is introduced, optimise bin collection system to meet best practice (e.g. weekly organics, fortnightly residual garbage & fortnightly recycling). | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | If a FOGO collection is successfully introduced to residential properties, investigate and consider the viability of providing a FOGO collection service to commercial properties. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | Investigate the viability of modifying the kerbside green waste collection to include food waste (FOGO) for residential properties. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management St rategy | The most significant change for the kerbside garbage collection service is dependent on a full organics collection service (FOGO – Food organics, Green Organics) being introduced | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Waste Management Strategy | Promote on site (home) organics management and provide education information and workshops to support the promotion. Includes composting, worm farming, mulching and poultry care. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Mitchell | Regional |