As Bedford Borough’s new collection service completes its second month, thousands of households have diverted nearly 1,000 tonnes of food waste into recycling.
And council leaders have thanked Bedfordians for their patience as some initial challenges have beset some of the collections.
Issues arising have included unexpected staff shortages, a couple of vehicle breakdowns and a small number of missed collections as new crews learn where food waste bins are left outside properties.
“Where rounds have not been completed on their scheduled collection day, crews have returned on the next working day to finish the route and collect remaining food waste bins,” said a council spokesperson.
The heatwave at the end of May also caused its own challenges, with lorries leaving earlier in the morning to avoid the higher temperatures later in the day.
Read: Bedford Borough bin collections starting earlier during heatwave
The food waste collected is sent for anaerobic digestion, where it is turned into renewable energy for the National Grid and a nutrient-rich fertiliser for local farms.
Residents putting out their food waste bin for collection are helping to cut general waste, support local agriculture and contribute to a more sustainable borough.
“Every caddy makes a difference”
Cllr Nicola Gribble (Independent, Renhold and Ravensden ward), portfolio holder for environment, said that every caddy put out makes a difference.
“It’s fantastic to see residents continuing to get behind our new weekly food waste collection service in such large numbers,” she said.
“Thank you to everyone who is taking part and for your patience while the teams embed the new rounds and work through the inevitable teething problems.
“We know that some residents have experienced missed or delayed collections, and we are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused.
“Our crews are learning new routes, adapting to new ways of working and doing their best to put things right as quickly as possible.”
What to do if your bin is missed
If your bin is missed by crews that are still learning their new routes, you can report it online at bedford.gov.uk/MissedBin.
“Reporting a missed collection helps crews to return where possible and allows the team to add clear notes to property records so that any less obvious bin locations can be found more easily next time,” said a council statement.
Give it a go
Anyone who has not yet started using the food waste collection service is encouraged to give it a go.
Separating food waste can help keep black bins less full, reduce smells and make it easier to see how much food is being thrown away, supporting money‑saving changes at home.
Residents can also visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for practical tips and recipes to help reduce food waste and save money.
