180 tonnes of food waste collected thanks to you
Published: Friday, July 5, 2024
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Food waste recycling collections have now started on your usual collection day.
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180+ tonnes have been collected so far, thanks to you, all part of our Cleaner Borough Plan.
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Recycled food waste is turned into fertiliser for farmers and renewable energy.
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Thanks to your efforts more than 180 tonnes of food waste was recycled across the whole borough in the first few weeks of our new collection service – equivalent to 15 London buses. 
Over the coming weeks, we are encouraging everyone locally who has received their caddies to make use of the new service and recycle all cooked and uncooked food waste. Once we collect it, all your food waste is turned into agricultural fertiliser for farmers and renewable energy. Flats will be receiving the new service later in the year.
Local resident, Riaan age 8, has been encouraging everyone to do their bit for the planet and recycle their food waste:
Councillor Judi Gasser, Cabinet Member for Environment said:
“It’s great to see so many people making use of our new food waste collection service, which is already making a huge difference to the amount that has been recycled since it started in June – all part of our ambitious Cleaner Borough Plan.
“We’re encouraging everyone who has a food waste caddy to get involved and help turn leftover food into renewable energy and compost for farmers.
“It’s a new service, so please do bear with us as the new crews get used to their collection routes, which takes time to bed in. Week on week we are making improvements to our collection service and will continue to do this, as we help everyone locally to do the right thing with their rubbish and recycling.”
Our Cleaner Borough Plan
Our Cleaner Borough Plan is making it easier and simpler to recycle – and help towards our aim to build a more sustainable borough – with the help of all residents. Here’s an update on progress we have made already, as all as what’s to come:
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Food waste collections for all – we have rolled out food waste collections to all eligible households, with flats getting the service later this year.
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Small electrical collections for all – we have rolled out small electrical collections to all eligible households. If you don’t have a home collection, recycling banks have been rolled out across the whole borough, including at all libraries.
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Guaranteed weekly bin collections – many councils are moving away from weekly collections – but we will continue to pick up waste every week.
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Better services for housing estates – we have already started to provide more bins, better signage and improved communications on estates and will continue this work across the borough.
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A new fleet of modern vehicles – will run on a bio-fuel, this will result up to a 90% reduction in carbon emissions.
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More Mega Skips – we introduced more mega skips days across the borough in response to popular demand.
Putting your food waste, rubbish and recycling out
We have also put together some handy tips reminding people how to put their rubbish, recycling, food waste and small electricals out:
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Put your rubbish, recycling, food waste and small electricals out for collection early on your usual day or the night before.
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Your rubbish and recycling collections are now at different times of the day and collected in separate vehicles. This means some collections will be earlier than you are used to. Report missed collections after 4pm.
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Place your rubbish and recycling just inside the edge of your property or garden, so the waste crews can see it easily. You can use a dustbin, but not a wheelie bin.
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Rubbish and garden waste goes into refuse sacks (e.g. a black sack), recycling in council recycling sacks and food waste in your outdoor brown caddy.
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Small electricals: unwanted or broken small electrical items can be put out for recycling next to your rubbish and recycling. Use a plastic bag to contain any leads if you need to.
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