The addition of two in-vessel HotRot composting units at the City of Greater Geelong’s Anakie Organics Processing Facility will allow more food waste to be processed locally.
The two units will help divert up to 1200 tonnes of food waste from landfill each year and have begun processing material from the Lara Food Waste Collection Trial, the new Wurriki Nyal offices and other City-managed facilities.
The HotRots convert food waste into high-quality compost for use in the City’s parks including the Botanic Gardens sporting grounds and local farms.
The installation of the second unit was supported by a $250,000 grant from Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian government.
“The expansion of this facility to involve food waste builds on Council’s commitment to the circular economy and our food waste trial in Lara,” deputy mayor Anthony Aitken said.
“Not only are we converting waste into high-grade compost for our community, keeping the process local means we’re also cutting down the emissions from transporting it outside the region.”
Residents can purchase compost produced from the region’s food and garden waste from local garden supply stores by asking for ‘Better for Geelong’ compost. A list of suppliers is at geelong.link/bettercompost.
Food waste makes up a third of the average household landfill bin, with a food waste service for all Greater Geelong households a key goal of the City’s Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy.
The Lara Food Waste Collection Trial has collected approximately 200 tonnes of food waste to date – equivalent to 20 full waste collection trucks – material that would have otherwise gone to landfill.
Findings from the trial will help inform a gradual rollout of a food waste collection service across Geelong in 2025-26, when the City will have more food waste processing capacity in place.
The City has also signed on to use Barwon Water’s new Regional Renewable Organics Network facility at Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant in Connewarre, which aims to convert 40,000 tonnes of organic waste to renewable energy and nutrient-rich products for agriculture from mid-2025.
