Food Collection Service

Residents are being urged to continue to recycle food waste and build on the success of the launch of this new service. Many thanks to those who have participated in the service.

Residents have been provided with two containers - a lockable food waste bin which is stored outside, and a smaller food storage 'caddy' which is stored in the kitchen.

Food scraps are emptied into the caddy and transferred into the larger container outside, when full.

The larger container is then  collected weekly, as part of the normal Kerbside recycling pick-ups, and the food waste recycled as compost.

Food waste which can go into the caddies: 

• Fruit, vegetables, meat and fish
• Dairy products and eggshells
• Cooked and uncooked food, leftover food
• Bread, pasta, cereal, rice
• Bones and pet food
• Tea bags and coffee grounds

In the UK, a third of the food we buy is thrown away, and at least half of this is food which could have been eaten.

At present, food which ends up in landfill can produce methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, which can contribute to climate change.

Cllr Michael Rook, Leader of Harborough District Council, said:

"We wanted to be the first council in the county to launch food waste collections because residents had told us that they wanted to recycle more, which is fantastic. We are sure this will have a positive impact both on the amount we recycle and the environment. We also hope it will help people think more about how much food they waste."

Harborough District Council already has a recycling rate of 53.7% - this means more than half of all the waste households produce in the district is recycled, instead of going to landfill.

Cllr Rook added: "We already have an enviable recycling rate in the district and this will improve our performance even further. Our residents have already shown they are keen to recycle as much as possible and we are sure they will get behind this scheme to keep us amongst the best recyclers in the UK." 

Use only newspaper, paper bags, 100% compostable, vegetable starch bags or kitchen roll to line your food waste bins - DO NOT use plastic bags.

Please ensure any starch or paper bags are sealed or tied in the container to reduce spilages thank you.

For more information on the new Food Waste Collection Service look at the service booklet this includes why the service has been rolled out, how to use the caddies and the frequently asked questions or visit our special Frequently Asked Questions page.

For more information on where the food waste is taken visit Material Change which explains the process the food waste undergoes and photographs of the site.

Take a look at Central News TV item about the launch of the food waste scheme.