New green bin rules mean it is easier than ever for Clarence Valley residents to sort their waste.

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins should only be used for food scraps and garden waste. This means fibre-based materials, including paper, cardboard and teabags are no longer accepted.

CVC Environment Officer Suzanne Lynch said the advice takes our green bins back to basics.

“If you’ve ever questioned whether or not you can put a soiled pizza box or paper towel in the green bin, these new guidelines eliminate that confusion,” she said. “Food scraps and garden waste are all that belong in the green bin.”

The only exceptions are compostable kitchen caddy liners that comply with Australian standard AS 4736-2006 or when paper is used to wrap food scraps in.

“Small amounts of newspaper should only end up in green bins when used as a kitchen caddy liner,” Ms Lynch said. “If in doubt, go liner-free and rinse caddies between uses.”

The advice aims to improve the quality of compost made from green waste collected from households in the Clarence Valley and across the Northern Rivers.

“Too many fibre-based products claim to be compostable but have been found to contain chemicals and substances that can harm the environment and our health,” Ms Lynch said.