People living in more than 250 flats in Bath and North East Somerset will soon take delivery of kitchen caddies and have their food waste collected as the recycling service continues to roll out.
Councillor Dave Wood with the various recycling containers available
Over the past five years, food waste recycling has been introduced at more than 1,000 flats across the area as part of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s commitment to help people recycle more.
Last year, the council collected 6,500 tonnes of food waste from homes in the district but is keen to do more.
Members of the Waste Education team will be visiting people in flats currently not getting the service to hand out information and give advice on the new service starting in September.
Councillor Dave Wood, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Recycling food waste is one of the best things you can do to help the environment.
“When food decomposes it creates methane and other greenhouse gases, which harm the environment and speed up global warming.
“We are rolling out the food waste recycling programme to people and families in more than 250 flats in addition to those who already have it.”
People are able to recycle all raw and cooked food waste including, fruit and vegetable peelings, plate scrapings and bones.
The food waste is taken to a local processing plant, GENeco in Avonmouth, where it is turned into bio-fertiliser for use on agricultural land. The treatment process also generates renewable energy.
Instead of throwing food waste in rubbish, people will get a kitchen caddy to store food waste in. Everyday household plastic bags, except the thicker bags for life, including plastic potato bags and plastic bread bags can be used to line the kitchen caddy to keep it clean.
Compostable liners, newspaper or paper bags can also be used.
Once full, the food waste has to be emptied this into a large food waste bin outside next to the existing shared recycling bins.
Food waste will be collected every week from the outside bin. This may not be on the same day as other recycling bins.
Residents can call 01225 39 40 41 or email wastecampaigns@bathnes.gov.uk to find out more.
