A new kerbside waste collection guide has been released, to support South Australian local governments adopt a more sustainable way to dispose of household waste.

Green Industries SA, in partnership with the Environment Protection Authority and the Local Government Association of South Australia, has released the SA Better Practice Guide: Sustainable Kerbside Services.

The guide encourages councils to introduce more sustainable ways to collect waste from residents' homes.

It proposes green bins, which collect food organics and garden organics (FOGO), be emptied weekly, and general waste and recycling bins be collected fortnightly.

Residents would have the choice to opt out and retain their old service of a weekly general waste collection.

Green Industries SA’s chief executive Professor Ian Overton said food and garden organics made up half of what was disposed of in most general waste bins, which was "far too high".

"That material going to landfill creates methane, which is much worse than carbon dioxide when it comes to harmful greenhouse gases," Professor Overton said.

“This guide shows just how effective it is for councils to offer a green bin weekly and to offer a waste bin fortnightly to make sure that we send zero food and garden waste to landfill.”

In mid-2022, the City of Holdfast Bay became the first council to successfully introduce the model, which had wide support from the local community.

As a result, it has substantially lowered its waste to landfill rates and is on track to be the first council to meet the Government of South Australia’s State Waste Strategy targets.

South Australia has a target to achieve 75 per cent kerbside landfill diversion in metro Adelaide by 2025. It is currently at 51 per cent diversion.

Professor Overton said the response from councils around South Australia so far had been gratifying.

"We’ve had over 85 council staff from across the state attend our information sessions on how they can use this guide to plan for more sustainable kerbside services for their residents in the future," he said.

"We know that by changing the way people use their bins, we really can make a difference when it comes to climate change. This guide empowers councils in South Australia to help every one of their residents reduce their carbon footprint by diverting food waste away from landfill and into valuable compost."

Councils can access the guide through Green Industries SA.