Every household can make a difference. Around 30% of the household rubbish bin is food waste. Separating it out means:

• less rubbish in landfill or other disposal sites, which means lower greenhouse gas emissions
• less council money spent on processing waste
• the food waste we collect is turned into renewable energy and soil improver

Being aware of the food you waste and taking steps to minimise what you buy and use can also save you money. On average households in the UK throw away £700 of edible food each year.

How we recycle your food waste

The food waste we collect is taken to a recycling plant in Dorset where it is broken down to create a type of renewable gas (a clean energy source made from food scraps). This renewable gas is then used to make electricity which goes back into the national grid.

The process also produces a rich soil booster that supports local farms to grow crops so they don’t need to use as many chemical fertilisers.

Food waste odour

Around 30% of a typical household rubbish bin is food waste. By separating your food waste out, your rubbish bin will be less full and smell fresher.

If you regularly empty your kitchen caddy into your outside food waste recycling bin and tie up the liners you will avoid bad smells in your kitchen. You can also use newspaper to line your food waste container as it is compostable.

Your outdoor bin will be collected weekly and has a lockable lid when the handle is in the ‘up’ position, which will stop it smelling and vermin getting in.

Composting at home

If you are already composting at home then you do not need to change this. Home composting is the best way to deal with uncooked food waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings.

With your new food waste recycling service we can collect anything you don't compost at home such as:

• meat
• fish
• bones
• cooked food
• dairy products

By composting at home it reduces the numbers vehicles needed to collect waste which is better for the environment.

What to do if you do not want to use our food waste recycling service

We would encourage you to use the service and think you will be surprised how much food you waste. However you can request the container is removed.

We will be prioritising delivery over removal at the beginning of the service to ensure everyone that wants to recycle can do so.