Food Waste

Below you will find some frequently asked questions about the food waste service:

1. Why is the Council introducing this service?

Food waste sent to landfill doesn’t break down harmlessly. Councils are introducing mandatory weekly food waste collections by 2026 to meet government Simpler Recycling reforms. As food waste rots in landfill, it releases methane - a greenhouse gas around 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. This initiative tackles climate change by reducing greenhouse gases from landfill, turns waste into renewable energy (via anaerobic digestion), and produces fertiliser for farming, aiming to improve national sustainability

When recycled, food waste becomes a useful resource. It is taken to a specialist processing plant in where it is turned into renewable energy to power local homes and businesses. The process also creates a nutrient‑rich fertiliser that can be used in farming.

2. Why did the council stop collecting food waste in 2012?

The Council previously operated a food waste collection service; this was a trialled based service initially then rolled out district wide in 2010. The service was initially successful, however resulted in significant changes in behaviour and residents realised what they were throwing away. Not only is this a cost to the individual but also a burden to the amount of waste produced. The decision was taken in 2012 to suspend the service as the tonnage was low and the financial model did not work anymore.

It is now 14 years on and attitudes to waste have changed significantly, in a recent project where bins were analysed it was noted that food waste made up a significant proportion of waste. This justifies the government roll out of food waste.

3.Why are Harborogh District Council not starting food waste collections until November 2026?

Food waste collections will not begin until 3rd November 2026. This start date allows us to introduce the service with the correct vehicles and fully trained crews, ensuring a smooth, reliable and cost-effective service from day one.

4. What if I am on an assisted collection?

Your assisted collection will also cover your food waste caddy, so there’s no need to make a separate request for food waste collections. Please place your outdoor food caddy in the same location as your wheeled bins on your usual collection day.

5. Where do I present my container?

Please present your container kerbside where you would normally present your bins.

6. Where will the food waste go?

The food waste will be sent to an anaerobic digestion plant where it will be processed to generate sustainable energy rather than being lost to landfill. The Government suggests this could all help to cut the 18 million plus tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions associated nationally with this type of waste.

7. Will there be an increase in council tax for this new service?

No, food waste collections will not cause your council tax to increase.

8. What happens when I run out of the initial supply of bags provided?

We will provide each household with one roll of 52 compostable bags. After that, you’ll need to supply your own. We recommend liners with the N13432 composting standards on them. Compostable caddy liners are available in most supermarkets or online. You don’t have to buy compostable bags if you prefer not to. You can reuse any single‑use plastic bag, such as those from salad, vegetables, bread, frozen goods, deliveries or shopping. Reusing bags saves money and reduces waste. Please avoid using black bags/liners, as these are harder to separate during processing.

9. Will the smell of food waste attract insects and vermin?

The caddies are designed with lockable lids. You shouldn’t experience issues with odours as long as you empty your indoor kitchen caddy into the outdoor food waste caddy regularly. The outdoor caddy’s lockable lid also helps prevent pests and vermin from getting in.

10. What if I already compost my food waste?

If you already compost at home, you’re welcome to continue doing so. Just remember to only add garden waste and uncooked fruit and vegetable scraps—such as peelings, skins, coffee grounds, and tea bags—to your compost bin. All non-compostable food waste, such as meat, fish, small bones, fruit stones, cooked food and dairy products can go into your food waste caddy.

11. Can I label my external caddy with my house number or similar identifying mark?

Yes, we encourage residents to consider labelling all their bins to ensure you can collect the same bin/caddy back after our collections are complete.

12. Do the caddies lock and how do I lock them?

Both your kitchen caddy and outdoor caddy have lockable lids. To lock them, move the handle to the back position, press it down onto the lid, and then pull the handle all the way over to the front until it clicks into the locked position.

13. What if I live in a communal property and don’t have the space?

All communal properties will receive the 7l kitchen caddy and at least one regular (140L) wheelie bin per store. The indoor kitchen caddy (7L) is small enough to fit on a work surface, under the kitchen sink or on a windowsill in your kitchen.

14. Can I put my smaller internal caddy out at the kerbside for collection, rather than the larger external one?

No. For health and safety reasons, all food waste must be bagged before being placed into the larger outdoor caddy for collection.

15. Are the caddies dishwasher safe?

Both the indoor and outdoor caddies are dishwasher‑safe, although you may find that only the smaller kitchen caddy will comfortably fit inside most machines.

16. Are the caddies made from recyclable materials?

Yes, both the 7 litre and 23 caddy are made from 100% recycled polymer.