A free app to donate food waste is becoming popular in Cairns

The introduction of a long-called for waste management solution won’t be happening in 2023, but the community is leading the way in the interim when it comes to compost.

Despite the unanimous demand for separate compost collection bins, Cairns is not getting any just yet.

Division 5 Councillor Amy Eden said that community surveying had consistently indicated a keen interest in green waste and compostables being collected, but the inhibiting factor was cost.

“I know that some divisions in Townsville are trialling FOGOs (Food Organics Garden Organics). I believe our waste teams are waiting for the results of that trial,” Ms Eden said.

“Everyone wants green waste and compost (collected), they don’t want to pay a cent more for it. We’ve done calculations that show costs for kerbside collection. It’s millions of dollars to have kerbside collection for all of Cairns. It’s a huge cost, adding an extra bin. Also compost, obviously with our heat, can’t wait a fortnight.”

Jan McLucas and Bradley Smith use the Sharewaste app to connect to people who wish to recycle their food scraps and other organics with their neighbours who are already composting. Picture: Nuno Avendano

An everyday solution to managing food waste thus still requires individual effort, and while worm farms and bokashi bins are popular options for those without a yard, one creative way to handle food waste can be through donation.

Whitfield resident Jan McLucas, 64, is one of sixteen Cairns residents who uses the app Sharewaste – a platform that connects people who wish to recycle their food scraps and other organics with their neighbours who are already composting, worm-farming or keep farm animals.

Ms Lucas, who has been composting “forever”, found out about the app on an episode of Gardening Australia and said it has allowed her to meet some lovely people.

“They are often people just coming into town, living in rented accommodation or flats who don't have the ability to compost where they are staying,” Ms Lucas said.

Bradley Smith and Jan McLucas use the tumbler method of composting. Picture: Nuno Avendano

Ms Lucas and her partner Bradley Smith use the tumbler method, where the compost is completely contained in the tumblers and not in contact with the ground, thus ruling out any animal interference.

According to Ms Lucas, it’s a cost effective method as the only expense is the cost of the tumbler.

“Sometimes people overcomplicate composting, especially in the tropics,” Ms Lucas said.

“Frankly we just throw it (donated food waste) all in with dry waste, leaf litter and dried material through the mulcher in layers. We tumble them every now and then and in about 6-12 weeks, the finished product is perfect to use.

“You have compost you can put on your garden. You just have to keep flies out of them, for those people donating their waste.”

The Queensland Government estimates that organic material makes up about half of what Queenslanders throw away in their wheelie bin each week, which is more than four kilograms per household per week.

By the end of the decade, Australia has a national target to halve food waste, which would go a long way in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and make us less dependent on landfills.

Cairns Regional Council was contacted for further comment.

Originally published as A free app to donate food waste is becoming popular in Cairns