03/06/2026
Following your feedback, our crews are now using purple wheelie bins as they work along roads collecting the food waste bins before tipping them into the food waste collection vehicle. At times, they will keep them attached to the truck, at other times they will walk them along the street - it all depends on what’s safest and most efficient for that particular road.
We know some residents found it confusing when different coloured wheelie bins were used for this on collection days, and that it sometimes looked as though food waste was being mixed with other waste. To address this, we’ve standardised to clearly labelled purple wheelie bins so it’s clear that your food waste is being kept separate and sent for recycling.
A big thank you to everyone who has started using the new weekly food waste collection service. Your efforts are very much appreciated by us all. We do acknowledge that there have been some teething problems, and would like to reassure everyone that the team are working hard to get them all resolved - a thank you to anyone who has reported an issue to us online.
Our collection crews have shared a couple of simple things that really help them work safely and efficiently:
• Please don’t put your kitchen caddy inside your outdoor food waste bin - just empty the contents in
• Please leave the handle of your outdoor food waste bin upright or down towards the front so the lid is secure and easier to collect.
Every peel, crust and leftover in your caddy helps divert waste from your black bin and turns your food waste into something useful, like energy and fertiliser. It’s also helped many people notice just how much food is being thrown away - along with how much money they could save.
Wasting less food and saving money…
Alongside recycling food scraps, small changes at home can help reduce food waste:
• Plan meals and jot down a quick shopping list
• Check your fridge and cupboards before you shop
• Freeze leftovers and spare portions
• Make “use it up” meals with odds and ends
The Love Food Hate Waste website has plenty of practical tips and recipes to help you get the most out of the food you buy.
Home composting and what goes where
Home composting is also a great way to recycle much of your food waste. However, unlike the anaerobic digestion process used for the food waste we collect, home compost bins are not suitable for items such as meat, cooked food, dairy, and pet food - these should go in your food waste bin for collection. You can find useful information on composting on our Reduce, Reuse, Recycle webpage, via the Linktree in our bio.
And finally, we know many of you tell us how much your pets, especially dogs, enjoy safe leftovers and food scraps. This can be a good way to lower the amount of waste you produce - just remember that some foods are not suitable for pets but can go in your food waste bin for weekly collection.
