Bedford Borough Council says it is close to completing delivery of more than 85,000 food waste bins ahead of the launch of weekly collections later this month.
The new service is due to begin on Monday, 30 March. The council said final deliveries of kitchen caddies and outdoor food waste bins should be completed by Friday, 27 March.
Read: Weekly food waste collections to launch across Bedford Borough in March
The council said every household should receive a small kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor food waste bin.
Most flats will receive only a kitchen caddy. Residents will then be expected to take food waste to a communal silver-lidded wheelie bin in the bin store or to a clearly labelled external green collection point nearby.
The council said communal bins or collection points for flats should also be in place by 27 March.
Access problems in some flats
The council said delivery teams have been unable to gain access to some blocks of flats.
It said crews will return and try again before the service starts. Residents who have not received a caddy by then can use another suitable container indoors before transferring food waste to their communal bin.
If a property appears to have been missed, or if a bin arrives damaged, the council is asking residents to report it.
What can go in the caddy
The council said the new food waste caddies can be used for items that are not always suitable for home composting or feeding to animals.
That includes cooked food, meat, fish, dairy products and bones. The waste will then be processed into renewable energy and fertiliser.
Cllr Nicola Gribble (Independent, Renhold and Ravensden) said: “Delivering more than 85,000 food waste bins across Bedford Borough is a fantastic achievement, and I’d like to thank the teams for their hard work making it happen.
“Every peel, crust, and leftover helps reduce waste and supports our drive towards a cleaner, greener Borough.”
The new service will accept most everyday food waste, including:
- Leftovers and plate scrapings
- Out-of-date or spoiled food (with packaging removed)
- Vegetable peelings and fruit cores
- Meat and fish (raw or cooked, including bones)
- Eggs and eggshells
- Bread, cakes, rice and pasta
- Teabags and coffee grounds
- Pet food
Bin day changes also start on 30 March
The food waste rollout comes alongside wider changes to bin collection routes across the borough from the same date.
Read: One in five Bedford Borough homes to get new bin collection day
As previously announced, most households will see no change, but around 20 per cent of homes will have a new collection day.
The council said the route changes are intended to improve efficiency and support the introduction of weekly food waste collections.
The delivery programme has been funded through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Food Waste Transitional Revenue Support Grant.
For more information on the new service and what can go in the food waste bin, visit bedford.gov.uk/foodwaste.
