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                    Food organics high-rise pilot

                    City of Melbourne is committed to reducing our environmental footprint by reducing the amount of organic material going to landfill.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ An apple core, lemon half and other organic food waste inside a circular recycle symbol.

                    ​​​Selected residential apartment buildings, (six storeys or higher), can undertake a twelve-month pilot program, using an on-site orga​​​​nics processor to collect and process their food organics. Two residential apartment buildings are currently trialling this service, with up to four additional buildings to be included from early 2023. Read more about the trial​​.

                    The pilot will concl​ude in late 2​​024, when it will be evaluated and recommendations made for future projects.

                    The results of this pilot will be used to plan and design food organics collection syste for existing and future buildings. If your building is participating in this pilot, please see below for more building-specific information and updates. 

                    To see how this pilot works, check out this ABC News story: Food scraps turned into fertiliser in bid to curb food waste​ (YouTube video)​.​     

                    Make food scraps recycling work in your building

                    Curzon Street, West Melbourne

                    Organics processor location:

                    Basement B1 – follow signs in the car park.

                    Hours of operation:

                    10am to 9pm daily

                    What can and can't go into the kitchen caddy and organics processor

                    Caddy/organics posted showing main items that can and can't go in the processor. See below for a list of all items that are and are not accepted.  

                    Download the caddy/organics processor A4 poster (PDF 1.4 MB)

                    List of specific items accepted and not accepted

                    What can go into the kitchen caddy:

                    • fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices)
                    • bread, rice, pasta and cereal
                    • pastries, cakes and biscuits
                    • leftover food scraps
                    • spoiled or rotten food 
                    • raw or cooked meat and fish 
                    • soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimps, crayfish, crab)
                    • loose coffee grounds 
                    • loose tea leaves 
                    • cut flowers and small leaves
                    • eggshells.

                    What can't go into the kitchen caddy:

                    • dairy products of any kind
                    • large bones
                    • corn cobs and husks
                    • avocado pits
                    • hard seafood shells (mussels, oyster, pipi shells)
                    • packaged food
                    • plastic or plastic bags
                    • biodegradable or compostable bags and packaging
                    • tea bags
                    • coffee pods, compostable cups and coffee cups (including biodegradable marked items)
                    • liquids including cooking oil
                    • recyclables (paper, cardboard, aluminium, steel and glass items)
                    • soft plastics (cling wrap, chip packets)
                    •  rocks and pebbles
                    • string, twine, ties, rope, metal wire
                    • plant pots
                    • soil
                    • cotton wool, cotton wool buds
                    • pet poo or pet litter
                    • nappies
                    • vacuum dust
                    • ash (from home fire)
                    • cigarette butts.

                    Harbour Esplanade, Docklands

                    Organics processor location

                    Main waste area - follow the green line in the Level 1 car park 

                    Hours of operation

                    12pm Monday to 8pm Tuesday 

                    12pm Wednesday to 8pm Thursday 

                    12pm Friday to 8pm Friday 

                    12pm Saturday to 8pm Sunday 

                    What can and can't go i​nto the kitchen caddy and organics processor

                    Image showing items that can or cannot go into kitchen caddy and organics processor

                    Download the caddy/organics processor A4 poster (PDF 1.4 MB)

                    List of specific items accepted and no​t accepted 

                    What can go into the kitchen caddy: 

                    • fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices) 
                    • bread, rice, pasta and cereal 
                    • pastries, cakes and biscuits
                    • leftover food scraps 
                    • spoiled or rotten food  
                    • raw or cooked meat and fish  
                    • soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimps, crayfish, crab) 
                    • loose coffee grounds  
                    • loose tea leaves  
                    • cut flowers and small leaves 
                    • eggshells.

                    What can't go into the kitchen caddy: 

                    • dairy products of any kind 
                    • large bones 
                    • corn cobs and husks 
                    • avocado pits 
                    • hard seafood shells (mussels, oyster, pipi shells) 
                    • packaged food 
                    • plastic or plastic bags 
                    • biodegradable or compostable bags and packaging 
                    • tea bags 
                    • coffee pods, compostable cups and coffee cups (including biodegradable marked items) 
                    • liquids including cooking oil
                    • ​recyclables (paper, cardboard, aluminium, steel and glass items) 
                    • soft plastics (cling wrap, chip packets) 
                    • rocks and pebbles 
                    • string, twine, ties, rope, metal wire 
                    • plant pots 
                    • soil 
                    • cotton wool, cotton wool buds 
                    • pet poo or pet litter 
                    • nappies 
                    • vacuum dust 
                    • ash (from home fire) 
                    • cigarette butts.

                    Lorimer Street, Docklands

                    Organics processor location​

                    Level 1 carpark in Tower 2  

                    Hours of operation

                    12pm Monday to 8pm Thursday 

                    12pm Friday to 8pm Sunday 

                    What can and can't go into the kitchen caddy and organics processor


                    Download the caddy/organics processor A4 poster (PDF 1.4 MB)

                    List of specific items accepted and no​t accepted 

                    What can go into the kitchen caddy: 

                    • fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices) 
                    • bread, rice, pasta and cereal 
                    • pastries, cakes and biscuits
                    • leftover food scraps 
                    • spoiled or rotten food  
                    • raw or cooked meat and fish  
                    • soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimps, crayfish, crab) 
                    • loose coffee grounds  
                    • loose tea leaves  
                    • cut flowers and small leaves 
                    • eggshells.

                    What can't go into the kitchen caddy: 

                    • dairy products of any kind 
                    • large bones 
                    • corn cobs and husks 
                    • avocado pits 
                    • hard seafood shells (mussels, oyster, pipi shells) 
                    • packaged food 
                    • plastic or plastic bags 
                    • biodegradable or compostable bags and packaging 
                    • tea bags 
                    • coffee pods, compostable cups and coffee cups (including biodegradable marked items) 
                    • liquids including cooking oil
                    • ​recyclables (paper, cardboard, aluminium, steel and glass items) 
                    • soft plastics (cling wrap, chip packets) 
                    • rocks and pebbles 
                    • string, twine, ties, rope, metal wire 
                    • plant pots 
                    • soil 
                    • cotton wool, cotton wool buds 
                    • pet poo or pet litter 
                    • nappies 
                    • vacuum dust 
                    • ash (from home fire) ​
                    • cigarette butts.

                    Batman Street, West Melbourne

                    Organics processor location​​

                    Level B1, East Tower bin room 

                    Hours of operation​

                    1pm Monday to 8pm Thursday 

                    1pm Friday to 8pm Sunday 

                    What can and can't go into the kitchen caddy and organics processor


                    Download the caddy/organics processor A4 poster (PDF 1.4 MB)

                    List of specific items accepted and no​t accepted 

                    What can go into the kitchen caddy: 

                    • fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices) 
                    • bread, rice, pasta and cereal 
                    • pastries, cakes and biscuits
                    • leftover food scraps 
                    • spoiled or rotten food  
                    • raw or cooked meat and fish  
                    • soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimps, crayfish, crab) 
                    • loose coffee grounds  
                    • loose tea leaves  
                    • cut flowers and small leaves 
                    • eggshells.

                    What can't go into the kitchen caddy: 

                    • dairy products of any kind 
                    • large bones 
                    • corn cobs and husks 
                    • avocado pits 
                    • hard seafood shells (mussels, oyster, pipi shells) 
                    • packaged food 
                    • plastic or plastic bags 
                    • biodegradable or compostable bags and packaging 
                    • tea bags 
                    • coffee pods, compostable cups and coffee cups (including biodegradable marked items) 
                    • liquids including cooking oil
                    • ​recyclables (paper, cardboard, aluminium, steel and glass items) 
                    • soft plastics (cling wrap, chip packets) 
                    • rocks and pebbles 
                    • string, twine, ties, rope, metal wire 
                    • plant pots 
                    • soil 
                    • cotton wool, cotton wool buds 
                    • pet poo or pet litter 
                    • nappies 
                    • vacuum dust 
                    • ash (from home fire) 
                    • cigarette butts.

                    Bouverie Street, Carlton

                    Where to dispose of food scraps?​​

                    Please dispose food scraps in the black tubs located in the main kitchen or benchtop caddies in the kitchenettes on each level.

                    Poster showing the separation of food scraps for kitchen caddies and organic food processor

                    Download the food scraps to separate A4 poster (PDF, 1.4 MB)​ 

                    What can go into the tubs and caddies:

                    • ​ fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices)
                    • bread, rice, pasta and cereal
                    • pastries, cakes and biscuits 
                    • leftover food scraps 
                    • spoiled or rotten food 
                    • raw or cooked meat and fish 
                    • soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimps, crayfish, crab) 
                    • loose coffee grounds
                    • loose tea leaves
                    • cut flowers and small leaves 
                    • eggshells.

                    What can't go into the tubs and caddies: 

                    • dairy products of any kind 
                    • large bones 
                    • corn cobs and husks 
                    • avocado pits
                    • hard seafood shells (mussels, oyster, pipi shells) 
                    • packaged food
                    • plastic or plastic bags 
                    • biodegradable or compostable bags and packaging
                    • tea bags
                    • coffee pods, compostable cups and coffee cups (including biodegradable marked items)
                    • liquids including cooking oil
                    • recyclables (paper, cardboard, aluminium, steel and glass items)
                    • soft plastics (cling wrap, chip packets) 
                    • rocks and pebbles
                    • string, twine, ties, rope, metal wire
                    • plant pots
                    • soil
                    • cotton wool, cotton wool buds
                    • pet poo or pet litter
                    • nappies
                    • vacuum dust
                    • ash (from home fire)
                    • cigarette butts.

                    enrich360 food dehydrator​​

                    Watch this short video on how to use the enrich360 food dehydrator. 

                    Spring Street, Melbourne

                    Organics processor location:

                    B1 waste room in the Spring Street Tower 

                    Hours of operation:

                    9am to 10pm daily

                    What can and can't go into the kitchen caddy and organics processor

                    Caddy/organics posted showing main items that can and can't go in the processor. See below for a list of all items that are and are not accepted.

                    Download the caddy/organics pro​cessor A4 poster (PDF 1.4 MB)

                    List of specific items accepted and not accepted

                    What can go into the kitchen caddy:

                    • fruit and vegetable scraps (including citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, spices)
                    • bread, rice, pasta and cereal
                    • pastries, cakes and biscuits
                    • leftover food scraps
                    • spoiled or rotten food 
                    • raw or cooked meat and fish 
                    • soft shell seafood (prawns, shrimps, crayfish, crab)
                    • loose coffee grounds 
                    • loose tea leaves 
                    • cut flowers and small leaves
                    • eggs and eggshells 
                    • small bones (chicken and fish bones)
                    • small amounts of dairy  

                    What can't go into the kitchen caddy:

                    • large amounts of dairy 
                    • large bones (beef, pork and lamb bones)
                    • hard seafood shells (mussels, oyster, pipi shells)
                    • packaged food
                    • plastic or plastic bags
                    • biodegradable or compostable bags and packaging
                    • tea bags
                    • coffee pods, compostable cups and coffee cups (including biodegradable marked items)
                    • liquids including cooking oil
                    • recyclables (paper, cardboard, aluminium, steel and glass items)
                    • soft plastics (cling wrap, chip packets)
                    • rocks and pebbles
                    • string, twine, ties, rope, metal wire
                    • plant pots
                    • soil
                    • cotton wool, cotton wool buds
                    • pet poo or pet litter
                    • nappies
                    • vacuum dust
                    • ash (from home fire)
                    • cigarette butts.

                    Frequently Asked Questions

                    How do I start using the food organics service in my building?

                    If you were unable to attend an information session in your building, please contact your building manager for an introduction to the service.​​

                    How do I use the kitchen caddy?

                    ​Your kitchen caddy is used to collect and transfer food scraps to the dehydrator. Place the caddy in a convenient place, such as your kitchen bench, and start collecting food scraps. Once almost full, empty it into the food dehydrator, rinse and re-use.

                    How do I use the kitchen caddy liners?

                    ​The compostable liners are used to line your kitchen caddy. Once ​your caddy is full, take it to the organics processor, lift the bin liner out, tie it up and place it into the organics processor.  

                    It is important to only use council-approved compostable liners, as only these will break down during the dehydration process. Using the wrong type of compostable liners will contaminate other organics and damage the processor. 



                    You should only use certified compostable bags (AS 5810 or AS 4736) in your kitchen caddy– look for these symbols:

                     

                    Other plastic, degradable and biodegradable bags must not be used with your kitchen caddy. They can contain harmful plastic and heavy metals that will contaminate the organic material. ​

                    How do I get more compostable liners?

                    You will receive enough caddy liners to last you one year. If you run out, please speak to your building manager to get more. 

                    You can also purchase your own compostable bin liners through Compost-a-pack.​

                    What do I do if the organics processor is not available to use?

                    At times the organic processor won’t be available due to cleaning and maintenance. Please do not leave your caddy or food scraps beside or on top of the organics processor. Check the operating schedule by the organics processor and return during operating hours.​

                    My caddy is broken, what do I do?

                    ​Speak to your building manager about a replacement caddy.

                    I am moving out, what do I do with the kitchen caddy?

                    Please do not take the kitchen caddy with you when you move out. Wash and dry the caddy and leave it, along with any unused compostable liners, in the apartment for the next tenant. ​

                    I am moving out, what do I do with my organics processor access card?

                    Please return the access card to building management or leave it along with the kitchen caddy in the apartment.​

                    I have misplaced my access card, what do I do?

                    ​Please speak to building management about a replacement card.

                    Why is the City of Melbourne introducing this service?

                    The aim of the pilot program is to explore the effectiveness of on-site organics processing technology in high-rise buildings, six storeys or higher. 

                    Residents will deposit their food scraps directly into an on-site organics processor, which will dehydrate the organics and reduce its volume by up to 80 per cent of its original weight. 

                    The material discharged from the organics processor will be transported to an organics processing facility where it will be turned into a high nutrient soil conditioner. 

                    We intend to trial the end product in our parks and gardens.  


                    Contact us for more information

                    Contact name
                    Food and Garden Organics team
                    Telephone number
                    03 9658 965803 9658 9658
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