From 1 July 2026, NSW food waste reforms will begin rolling out. FOGO compliance for strata and facilities managers places new expectations on businesses and organisations that generate food waste.
For strata managers, facilities managers and property owners, the question is simple: How do we make food waste separation work across a multi-tenant site?
In commercial buildings, shopping centres, mixed-use developments and strata properties, food waste compliance is rarely just about adding another bin. It involves multiple tenants, shared waste rooms, cleaning contractors, collection schedules and clear responsibilities.
The sites that start planning now will be in a much stronger position when the changes come into effect.
Mistake #1: Assuming the Current Waste Setup Will Be Enough
Food waste cannot simply be added to an existing general waste or recycling system. It needs a separate collection stream, supported by the right infrastructure.
For many sites, this may mean extra bins, updated waste room layouts, new signage, different collection schedules and more staff or tenant education. Where space is already tight, food organics can become an operational issue if it is not planned early.
FOGO compliance for strata and facilities managers means reviewing waste room capacity, loading dock access and collection frequency.
Mistake #2: Leaving Planning Too Late
A successful food organics system takes time to set up. Before making changes, facilities and strata teams need to understand which tenants generate food waste, how much is being produced, where bins will be stored, who will monitor contamination, how often collections will be needed and what reporting may be required. The earlier these questions are answered, the easier it is to build a system that works for the site, the tenants and the collection provider.
Mistake #3: Focusing on Bins Instead of Behaviour
FOGO and food organics compliance is not only about infrastructure. It is also about behaviour. Even a well-designed system can fail if tenants, cleaners and site teams do not understand what belongs in each stream.
Most contamination starts at the source. Clear signage, tenant education and regular communication are essential to keeping food waste separate from general waste and recycling. For strata and facilities managers, this means the system needs to be easy to follow – not just technically compliant.
Mistake #4: Treating Every Tenant the Same
A café, restaurant or food court tenancy will have very different waste needs to an office, retail store or professional services tenant. Using the same bin setup across every tenancy can lead to over-servicing in some areas, under-servicing in others and higher contamination risk.
The most effective systems are tailored to the tenant mix and waste profile of the building. That may mean different bin sizes, collection points, education materials or collection frequencies depending on how food waste is generated across the site.
Mistake #5: Missing the Bigger Opportunity
Many organisations are looking at the NSW food waste reforms through a compliance lens. That is understandable, but there is also an opportunity to improve the way waste is managed across the site.
A well-planned food organics system can support better collection schedules, reduce contamination, improve resource recovery and provide stronger data for ESG and sustainability reporting.
For tenants, it can also create a cleaner, more modern waste system that reflects growing expectations around recycling and environmental performance.
Why Multi-Tenant Sites Need a Clear Plan
Food organics systems are usually more straightforward when one business controls the whole site.
In a multi-tenant building, responsibility can sit across building owners, strata committees, facilities managers, cleaning contractors and individual tenants.
Without a clear plan, contamination becomes a problem quickly. Food waste ends up in general waste. Packaging ends up in food organics bins. Tenants become unsure of what goes where.
That is when compliance becomes harder, collection costs can rise and recovery outcomes suffer.
What a Good Food Waste System Looks Like
A strong food organics program should include:
- Appropriate bin infrastructure
- Clear signage and tenant education
- Defined responsibilities between stakeholders
- Collection schedules based on actual waste volumes
- Ongoing monitoring and reporting
- A practical contamination management process
Most importantly, the system needs to work in the real environment of the building. It must be simple enough for tenants, cleaners and contractors to use consistently.
How to Prepare Now
If you manage a commercial building, shopping centre, mixed-use development or strata property, now is the time to assess your site.
Start by asking:
- Which tenants generate food waste?
- Is the current waste room large enough?
- Are there contamination risks?
- Who will be responsible for implementation?
- Will collections need to change?
- What infrastructure will be required before rollout?
Planning early can reduce disruption, control costs and help your site meet future food waste compliance requirements with more confidence.
Speak with Wanless
Every site is different. The right food waste solution will depend on your tenant mix, available space, waste volumes, contamination risks and operational requirements.
Wanless works with businesses, property managers, strata teams and facilities managers to assess waste systems, identify practical improvements and support compliant food organics collection.
Speak with our team about a site assessment and waste infrastructure review to prepare for the NSW food waste reforms.