Lockyer Valley household FOGO diversion

Lockyer Valley household FOGO diversion is a waste diversion project located in the Lockyer Valley region, approximately 45km east of Toowoomba and 90km west of Brisbane in South East Queensland. It was registered in October 2023. The exact project area is undefined, as specific physical land areas have been administratively removed from the project listing.

Source Separated Organic Waste projects involve separating eligible organic waste, such as food and garden organics (FOGO), at the point of generation to divert it away from standard landfilling. Instead, the waste is transferred to a treatment facility where it undergoes open windrow or enclosed composting. This process prevents the heavy methane emissions that would otherwise occur as the organics rot anaerobically in a landfill, while capturing and combusting any biogas generated.

The Lockyer Valley area is widely known as the "Salad Bowl" of Queensland, dominated by intensive agriculture, horticulture, and cattle grazing. The region experiences a sub-tropical climate with moderate but highly variable rainfall. Its environment is characterized by highly fertile alluvial soils, sandy loams, and dark cracking clays, which extensively support the region's robust farming industry.

This carbon project aligns with a kerbside FOGO collection initiative spearheaded by the Lockyer Valley Regional Council. The council previously conducted a trial rolling out green bins to roughly 1,000 households across the Gatton and Laidley townships to test collection frequencies and waste diversion viability. To process the diverted household organics locally, the Council established a pilot solar-powered composting facility where organic material was broken down over a 12-week period and utilized as a soil conditioner in local parks. Additionally, the listed project participant, Dimitrios Dimoliatis, is the Principal Consultant for Carbon Strategy & Policy at MRA Consulting Group, an Australian firm specializing in circular economy, waste management, and carbon advisory services.