Manufacturing
3 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Mushroom farms generate: spent mushroom substrate (high volume — excellent soil conditioner, give to farmers or sell at $0–20/tonne), packaging, and general waste.
Spent substrate is the dominant waste stream by far. Finding outlets for spent substrate eliminates the largest waste cost.
Fresh substrate can be reused 2–3 times. Monthly general waste: $100–300.
Substrate disposal if no outlet: $60–100/tonne.
Key Numbers
- Substrate disposal (no outlet): $60–100/tonne
- Substrate reuse cycles: 2–3 times
- Substrate sale value: $0–20/tonne
- Metro landfill levy 2025–26: $169.79/tonne
What You Need to Know
For a mushroom farm, spent substrate is the dominant stream by far — and it is also the single biggest lever on cost. Whether it leaves as a disposal bill or as a soil conditioner decides your monthly spend.
- Reuse first — fresh substrate can be reused 2–3 times before it is truly spent.
- Find an outlet — spent substrate is an excellent soil conditioner; give it to farmers or sell at $0–20/tonne.
- Disposal is the fallback — with no outlet, substrate disposal runs $60–100/tonne, on top of the metro landfill levy of $169.79/tonne.
- General waste — packaging and other site waste sit at $100–300/month.
Under Victoria's FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Policy, separating organics from landfill is the direction every council is moving — and the cheaper one. As an independent broker, Bundle Waste audits your invoice for free and compares a network of providers to route substrate away from levied landfill, paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
How should a Melbourne vertical farm manage waste?+
Vertical farms generate: crop residue (compostable), spent growing media (depending on type — some recyclable), nutrient solution waste, plastic packaging, and equipment waste (LED lights — e-waste). Crop residue volume is high relative to facility size. Nutrient runoff must not enter stormwater. Monthly waste: $200–600. Composting crop residue on-site or partnering with local farms is most cost-effective.
How should a Melbourne plant-based food manufacturer manage waste?+
Plant-based food manufacturers generate: vegetable processing waste (excellent for composting), packaging, wash-down water (trade waste), and general waste. Vegetable processing waste is the dominant stream, with smaller volumes of packaging and general waste alongside trade-waste wash-down water. High-protein waste (e.g., from tofu production) has value as animal feed. Soy whey from tofu is high-BOD trade waste requiring pre-treatment. Monthly waste: $500–2,000. Composting organic waste diverts the majority from landfill at lower cost.
How should a Melbourne commercial fruit and vegetable processor manage waste?+
Fruit and veg processors generate enormous organic waste: 20–60% of raw material becomes waste (peels, stems, seeds, off-cuts). A mid-size processor generates 5–20 tonnes/week of organic waste. Composting at $100–160/tonne is far cheaper than landfill. Some waste streams have value: citrus peel for essential oils, apple pomace for cider, vegetable pulp for animal feed. Monthly waste: $2,000–8,000.
What waste does a Melbourne commercial aquaponics farm generate?+
Aquaponics farms generate: fish waste (managed within the system as plant nutrients), crop residue (compostable), dead fish (compostable in small quantities, rendering for larger volumes), packaging, and equipment waste. The closed-loop nature of aquaponics minimises waste. Main external waste is crop residue and packaging. Monthly waste: $50–200. Excess fish waste has value as garden fertiliser.
How should a Melbourne commercial cold-pressed juice company manage waste?+
Cold-pressed juice companies generate very high organic waste: 40–70% of fruit and vegetables becomes pulp. A company processing 500kg of produce daily generates 200–350kg of pulp. This is the single largest waste stream and cost driver. Monthly waste: $500–1,500. Pulp has value for: animal feed, dehydrated products (fruit leather), composting, and potentially biogas production. Partner with farms for free pulp collection.
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Updated 25 June 2026
