Food Waste

Food waste collection is set out in national legislation and not just a local decision. Under the Environment Act 2021, councils across England will be legally required to collect food waste separately from all households and businesses. The aim is to make recycling easier, more consistent, and available to everyone, no matter where they live.

The UK Government has provided funding to local councils so that every household and communal property (e.g. such as flat blocks) will have access to weekly food waste collections, free of charge. This funding helps cover the cost of new bins, vehicles, and recycling facilities, so the service can be introduced without adding to council tax bills.

• A lot of waste that is thrown away is food, around a third of the average household bin.

• Food waste left in landfill produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. Recycling it through anaerobic digestion turns it into biogas and fertiliser instead. 

• The law ensures every council provides the same core recycling services, so residents across England have equal opportunities to recycle. 

• Diverting food waste from landfill reduces disposal costs, making waste services less expensive and more efficient overall.

By the end of March 2026, all households will receive a 7-litre grey indoor caddy and an external 23-litre grey food waste bin for free.

Flats with communal bins will receive a small (7 litre) food waste kitchen caddy which each resident should empty into the larger (23 litre) outdoor communal food waste bin. The communal food waste bin will be emptied weekly by the collection crews.

From week commencing 30th March 2026 we will collect your food waste every week on the same day as your normal waste and recycling collections.

Please put your outdoorfood waste recycling bin with the handle in the locked position at the edge of your property with your other waste or recycling.

Separate vehicles will collect your food waste caddy, and these may take place at different times to other collections.

Whilst you are not required to use liners, you can use either compostable or non-compostable liners within your indoor caddy. Note that we will not be providing you with liners. 

For further information on communal food waste collections, please visit the webpage. 

You can place any type of food inside the 7-litre indoor caddy. 

This includes raw meat, cooked meat & bones, fish, cooked fish & bones and gristle, dairy products, cheese & eggs, teabags & coffee grounds, rice, pasta & beans, baked good (such as bread, cakes and pastries), raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, whole fruit & peelings and pet food. 

Please do not put any of the following materials in your food waste caddy:

• Liquids such as milk, oil or fat

• Plastic bags or plastic film

• Garden waste

• Pet waste (bedding, litter, faeces)

When putting food waste in your caddy, using a liner is optional. You can line the caddy with any type of compostable or non-compostable bin liner or newspaper, or simply put the food directly in, whichever you prefer.

Even without a liner, the caddy is easy to use and clean.

If you choose to use a liner within your food waste caddy, these can be easily purchased at supermarkets or online.

• Line your caddy (optional step)

• Fill it with food waste

• When it is full, put it in your own 23-litre or the 240-litre communal food waste bin, if provided. Please empty your caddy regularly

• Lock your 23-litre bin by keeping the handle in an upright locked position. This will keep it secure from animals including birds

• Put your outdoor 23-litre waste bin (with the handle in the upright locked position) out for collection by 6:30 am on or before your collection day.

• To keep your food caddy clean, regularly empty it into your outdoor food bin. You may choose to use a liner or line the caddy with newspaper

• You can put your food caddy into your dishwasher or give it a rinse after washing up. We empty your outdoor food bin weekly, and it has a lockable lid which stops smells getting out and any animals getting in. Keeping your outdoor caddy clean will also help prevent smells or mould developing

We know how windy it can get, however when is stormy, we suggest putting your bin somewhere sheltered until collection day. Always make sure the lid is locked properly.

Each caddy has a locking handle.

To lock it, just move the handle forward and upright. You will see a sign on the caddy lid showing how to do this. This keeps the lid secure so animals or pets cannot get in.

The food waste will be recycled through a process called anaerobic digestion (AD). 

Here’s what happens:

• In sealed tanks, microbes digest the food without oxygen.

• This produces biogas, which is turned into renewable electricity, heat, or green gas for homes, businesses, and vehicles.

• The leftover material is rich in nutrients and spread on farmland to grow more food.

• Lower Waste Processing Costs:  Waste is heavy and expensive to dispose of. By keeping it separate from other waste streams, the cost of processing is greatly reduced.

• Household Savings: Having a separate bin makes it clear how much food is being wasted, helping you cut down on food waste and save money on buying food in the first place.

• Environmental Benefits : About a third of what goes into a normal rubbish bin is food waste. If it ends up in landfill, it creates harmful greenhouse gases. But if it’s recycled through anaerobic digestion (AD), it’s turned into biofuel and fertiliser.

Yes! However, you should only compost garden waste and uncooked vegetables and fruit (e.g. peelings and skins) as well as coffee grounds and tea bags. 

Subsidised home composters can be purchased through our partner at GetComposting

The subsidy applies to a maximum of 2 compost converters per household. Please visit GetComposting, enter your postcode, select Blackwall 220 Litre Black Compost Converter and the discount will be automatically applied.

All non-compostable food waste, such as meat, fish, small bones, cooked food and dairy products can go into your food waste bin.

Food waste caddies are being delivered to all properties as part of the new recycling service. 

We understand some residents may feel they don’t need a food waste collection, but we wouldn’t encourage refusing the service.

Under the Environment Act 2021, all councils in England are required to offer weekly food waste collections. This ensures a fair and consistent service across the country.

Reasons to use the new food waste service:

Even small amounts of food waste add up. If food goes into your general rubbish, it’s more likely to end up in landfill, where it produces harmful greenhouse gases. When recycled separately, it’s turned into biogas and natural fertiliser instead.

Using the food waste bin makes it easier to see how much food is being thrown away. Many households find this helps them reduce waste and save money on shopping.

When food waste is separated, it reduces the amount of heavy, costly rubbish in general waste bins. This helps keep disposal costs down for the whole community.

If you don’t have a wheeled bin and normally use sacks for your rubbish, you’ll still be able to recycle your food waste easily. Every household will be provided with a 7-litre and a 23-litre food waste caddy.

The caddy is compact and designed for weekly collections, so it won’t take up much space.

All properties will benefit from the same weekly service.