Fortnightly waste collection questions and answers

What can I use to line my food waste bin? 

You can use any plastic bags to line your bin, including bread bags, bags from fruit and vegetables, carrier bags or the wrappings from magazines. You can also use newspaper or a compostable bag to line your bin. 

What can I put in my food waste bin? 

• All cooked and uncooked food - including meat and fish bones;
• Plate scrapings;
• Fruit and vegetable peelings;
• Bread;
• Cake;
• Eggshells;
• Tea and coffee grounds.

How is food waste recycled?

Food waste is recycled by Anaerobic digestion, which is a natural process where plant and animal materials (known as biomass) are broken down by micro-organisms in the absence of air. The process releases a methane-rich gas that is used to generate renewable heat and power; this helps cut fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The remaining material, known as digestate, is rich in nutrients, so it can be used as a fertiliser.

The food waste was put into the same vehicle as the recycling, is this right? 

All of our vehicles collecting recycling are twin packs, with a split compartment on the back. The food waste is put into a separate compartment on the back of the vehicle to the rubbish and recycling and is sent to a different reprocessor for recycling via anaerobic digestion. 

The vehicles often have a spare bin on the back which the crews can use to tip each individual food waste caddy into before emptying the contents of that bin into the food waste compartment on the vehicle.