NSW government has released a mandate for commercial food waste collection (COFO) beginning 1 July 2025. This is a major reform to improve resource recovery and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the state’s aim to target residual waste and reduce the volume sent to landfill.
Under the mandate, large food waste generators must have a dedicated food waste collection system. This is a nuanced opportunity to honor new biotechnologies, such as anaerobic digestion, to improve waste reduction while generating on-site energy. The mandate will target large food waste generators, including supermarkets (with a floor area of more than 1,000 m²), hospitality venues, and institutions (such as hospitals or schools).
From 2025 until 2029, the threshold for businesses to participate in the mandate will gradually increase, based on capacity, specifically via the below biannual timeline:
1 July 2025: Businesses with a residual waste bin capacity of 3,800 litres or more.
1 July 2027: Businesses with a residual waste bin capacity of 1,900 litres or more.
1 July 2029: Businesses with a residual waste bin capacity of 660 litres or more.
The goal of the mandate is that, by 2029, most large food waste generators must provide dedicated food waste collection systems. This is particularly significantly aligned with the onset and growth of biogas digestors and technology, of which Hart Bioenergy is particularly apt to provide, given the cost-effective plug-and-play nature of our AD systems.
What does this mandate mean for NSW?
It will encourage widespread adoption of food waste collection systems in the commercial sector and convert valuable food waste (that was historically sent to landfills) into compost and renewable energy. The estimated environmental benefit of this change is the equivalent of removing approximately 3 million cars from the road each year!
As the mandate will introduce a re-examination of current food waste practices, it will encourage the use of new, innovative designs and food waste separation from landfill streams with the onset of new technologies. While the NSW government has yet to draft the regulations, penalties for non-compliance will apply.
How can Hart Bioenergy help your business?
Our expert team can assist your business in navigating these positive changes to your waste practices. Setting up on-site food waste collection and composting systems, such as anaerobic digesters, will allow businesses to generate revenue via ACCUs (Australia’s Carbon Credit scheme) as well as on-site energy generation.
This will begin by assessing current waste streams of your business through our Waste Pre-Feasibility Assessment. Our assessment will determine if biogas digestors are the right fit to improve your operations, or what other avenues for change are available to comply with this mandate. We’ll support your answer to the questions of if and when your business will be liable to participate in the mandate, helping you stay ahead of the curve with ongoing changes and costs involved.
Because the mandate presents an opportunity for businesses to adopt sustainable, long-term food waste management practices that benefit both your organisation and the environment, Hart’s Australian-made biogas digestors are particularly adept in supporting businesses due to participate in the mandate.
