Welcome to the waste directory - food waste - residential
What can be recycled?
Food waste includes anything which could be eaten (or came from something you could eat)... but not packaging!
Of all waste streams, food produces one of the highest carbon emissions.
By segregating the food waste for composting we can:
- Maximize the amount of waste recycled.
- Improve the quality of other recyclable material.
What is included?
Yes
- Raw food
- Cooked food
- Peelings
- Vegetables
- Dairy products
- Meat
- Fish
- Bread
No
- Packaging
Food waste - residential waste stream
Food waste represents 4% of our total waste.
Your responsibilities
The European Landfill Directive has 2 main impacts:
- To pre-treat any waste (the simplest way to satisfy this is to segregate the waste and recycle as much as possible).
- To avoid landfilling biodegradable waste wherever possible (the organic carbon in biowastes is converted to carbon dioxide and methane – a potent greenhouse gas with 23 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide).
Where do I put food waste?
- Food waste should be placed in the green-topped recycling bin with the sprung lid.
Who empties the bin?
- The cleaning team will empty the food waste bins on a regular basis.
- Sacks are colour coded and will generally be transported to a compounded area via a trolley.
- Sacks are placed in the appropriate container (usually located in a locked compound)awaiting collection by our contractor.
What happens then?
-
Waste is taken to the processing centre where any contaminents are removed and the waste is converted into compost.
How green is this waste stream?
- The bins are re-used but sacks are required for each consignment.
- This food production contributes a significant amount of carbon emissions during its lifecycle; growth (water consumption), shipping/transportation, cold storage & cooking.
- If food waste is left to decompose in landfill then methane is produced which is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. By converting the waste into compost then the environmental impact can be mitigated.
- Given that food is generally heavier than most general waste composting food waste can have a substantial benefit in diverting waste from landfill.
What else can I do?
There are 3 simple steps to successful recycling in the kitchen:
- Scrape food remains into the food waste bin
- Rinse food coated recyclables to remove heavy residues (no need to wash clean) and place in the recycling bin
- Discard anything which isn't food or recyclable material in the general waste bin.