We’re already pretty good at recycling here on the Beaches, with more than 46,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill every year via our green, blue and yellow bins. But almost half our red bin is food waste and that currently goes to landfill.
All NSW councils are required by the NSW Government to introduce a residential food waste collection service by 2030. The food waste will be recycled into compost for agriculture and other uses, reducing pressure on landfill sites and reducing potent gases entering the atmosphere.
A new service will be a big change for Northern Beaches households and it’s important to get it right.
That’s why we are starting with a pilot program. We’ll use it to test logistics and customer experiences and inform the design of a service that meets the needs of Northern Beaches households - ready for full roll out by 2030.
Around 1,500 households in selected streets of Dee Why and Cromer will be in the first phase of the pilot, running from late October 2025 to March 2026.
In Phase 1, pilot residents will receive a letter advising they are in the pilot area and will be asked to separate their food waste and add it to the green bin with their garden waste so it can be collected weekly and recycled. A kitchen caddy, compostable liners and detailed information will be delivered to each pilot residence.
Phase 2 will run from April 2026 to September 2026 and introduces a new burgundy bin for the collection of food waste only. The pilot areas for this phase will be announced in early 2026.
If you’re not in a pilot area, there are lots of ways you can reduce the amount of food waste going to landfill while you wait for the new service:
- see the tips and links on the food waste page
- attend a composting or worm farm workshop at Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre (and take up the offer of a $90 voucher toward the purchase of a worm farm or compost bin)
- contribute to your local community garden (contact the garden first to check whether they are currently accepting food scraps)
- plan your meals, shop to a list, use up leftovers and store food wisely.