East Dunbartonshire Council is urging residents to plan well this Christmas in order to reduce their food waste over the festive period.
Households throw away a huge amount of food every year, especially over Christmas and New Year when we’re all likely to be eating more. Collectively, people living in Scotland could save more than £90 million by not wasting food this festive season. That’s a saving of £38 for every household in Scotland.
Councillor Jim Gibbons, Convener of the Council’s Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee, said, “Ideally we will all plan carefully what we buy at the supermarket and make sure we have little or no food waste at all.
“But we do tend to buy - and waste - more over the festive period, when we are cooking for family and friends and spending more time at home.
“Websites such as Love Food Hate Waste and Zero Waste Scotland offer great recipes and tips for reducing food waste with guides on portion control and meal planners.
“However, if you are left with any excess food then the Council’s food waste collection service will ensure that it is recycled rather than sent to landfill.”
The Council's weekly food waste collections service is extremely popular with residents and regularly collects around 250 tonnes of food waste every month from participating households.
Councillor Gibbons added, “Waste reduction is vital to reducing how much we send to landfill and to helping to increase our recycling targets.
“People in East Dunbartonshire are great at recycling their food waste throughout the year so we don’t want them to forget to do their bit just because they’re busy at Christmas.
“Our food waste collection service is easy to use, and is benefitting the local environment and economy as it is cheaper than sending it to landfill.
“Food waste such as leftovers from Christmas dinner and all out of date food after the festive celebrations can be placed in your caddy as normal, but try to eat as many turkey sandwiches as possible.”
For tips for reducing food waste, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com or www.zerowastescotland.org.uk
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