From 2024, Bedford Borough Council has announced that it will introduce a weekly food waste collection service, in addition to the black bin, recycling and garden waste collections.
The service, announced during Love Food Hate Waste Week, will enable residents to dispose of food waste sustainably in a caddy bin provided by the Council.
According to the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), roughly one-third of the food produced for human consumption in the world is lost or wasted and of the 931 million tonnes of food waste generated annually, 61% comes from households.
In Reading, the introduction of the council’s food waste collection saw overall recycling rates rise from 32% to 50% and the proportion of grey bin waste made up of food fell from 41% to 23%.
Items that could be collected as part of the food waste collection service include:
- cooked and raw food including bones
- dairy products
- vegetables and fruits including peelings
- eggshells
- pet food
- paper towels and tissues
- tea bags and coffee grounds
Mayor Dave Hodgson (Liberal Democrats) has confirmed the service will be introduced during the 2024/25 financial year and the precise criteria will be announced when its launched.
“This new service will allow residents to dispose of food waste in a more sustainable way. Our current plans are that the food waste will be taken to an anaerobic digester plant to produce clean energy and compost,” said the Mayor.
During Love Food Hate Waste Week, the theme of ‘Win. Don’t Bin’ is aimed at showing residents how they can save time and money by making the most of the food they buy.
You can find out more by visiting their website here.
