July 6, 2026

Camden Council takes The Great Unwaste to the streets

Categories: Partner Stories

Australia’s first The Great Unwaste waste trucks are helping turn everyday collections into everyday reminders to waste less food. 

When Camden Council began looking at ways to tackle food waste in its community, the evidence was impossible to ignore. 

Recent bin audits revealed that almost half (46%) of everything placed in the average red-lidded garbage bin was food waste, with around 78% of that considered avoidable. That means thousands of dollars’ worth of perfectly good food was ending up in landfill instead of on dinner plates. 

For Camden Council, this represented a huge opportunity to help residents save food, save money and reduce waste. 

At the same time, Council was preparing for the future rollout of Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) services, which will become mandatory across New South Wales by July 2030. FOGO is a kerbside collection service that allows households to recycle food scraps and garden waste into valuable compost, rather than sending it to landfill. 

While FOGO will help recover unavoidable food waste, Camden recognised that the greatest environmental and financial benefits come from avoiding food waste in the first place. 

That’s where The Great Unwaste came in. 

 

Turning waste trucks into moving billboards for change 

Rather than relying solely on digital advertising or printed communications, Camden Council identified one of its most visible community assets — its waste collection fleet. 

Every week, waste trucks travel through neighbourhoods, moving slowly along residential streets and passing thousands of homes. Unlike many advertising channels, they provide repeated exposure, reaching residents where they live and complementing Council’s broader education and engagement activities. 

Importantly, truck signage also reaches people who may not regularly engage with Council publications or social media, helping extend the reach of The Great Unwaste to an even broader audience. 

Today, two Camden waste trucks proudly carry four eye-catching The Great Unwaste designs encouraging residents to: 

  • Turn a messy fridge into a foodie’s delight.
  • Turn last night’s dinner into a free lunch.
  • Turn your weekly shop into savings.
  • Turn your sad fruit into a super smoothie.

Each message has been carefully selected to encourage simple, practical behaviours that households can adopt immediately. 

 

Backed by research. Designed for everyday life. 

What appealed most to Camden Council was The Great Unwaste’s positive, evidence-based approach. 

Rather than focusing on guilt or waste, the campaign empowers households with practical actions that help people save food and money while reducing the amount of food ending up in the bin. 

Council also tailored the messaging to reflect local insights gathered through its bin audits, particularly around the most commonly wasted foods such as leftovers and unused fruit and vegetables. 

By combining national behaviour change messaging with local evidence, the campaign speaks directly to the habits that matter most within the Camden community.

“Our bin audit studies showed that food waste is too big an issue to ignore, but they also showed us there is huge opportunity for change. By partnering with The Great Unwaste, we’ve been able to put simple, practical actions in front of residents in a way that is engaging, local and hard to miss.” 

 

Camden Council

More than trucks – they’re part of the community 

Camden’s waste collection fleet has long been used to promote important community initiatives. The trucks themselves have become much-loved members of the community. 

Children regularly wait outside to wave as the trucks pass by, while residents often take the time to thank drivers for the care and professionalism they bring to their work.

“I just wanted to take a moment to complement our local garbage truck driver… he consistently does a fantastic job and always places our bin back neatly. It’s a small gesture, but it shows pride in his work and consideration for residents.” 

 

One of the Camden Council Residents

These everyday interactions make the trucks an ideal platform for delivering positive community messages. 

 

Leading the way with The Great Unwaste 

Camden Council is proud to be the first council in Australia to feature The Great Unwaste messaging on its waste collection fleet. 

The truck wraps will remain in the community for at least two years, providing ongoing reminders that small changes at home can make a big difference. 

For Council, this is more than an advertising campaign — it’s an investment in long-term behaviour change and community education. 

As more councils prepare for FOGO and strengthen their food waste education programs, Camden hopes its approach inspires others to consider how existing community assets can be used to spark conversations and create lasting impact. 

Together, we’re proving that even a waste truck can help Australians save food, save money and waste less.