Doughnut let your food go to waste! That's the message from East Dunbartonshire Council as a campaign to encourage more residents to use the weekly food recycling service is launched.
Lettuce tell you that over 30 per cent of rubbish being chucked into grey residual bins across East Dunbartonshire is made up of food waste. Instead of being recycled, it could end up in landfill where it emits harmful methane gas once it breaks down. What a waste - literally.
You might think it's nacho problem, but research shows that even people who think they don’t create any food waste actually create around 2.9kg a week. Think about those tea bags, coffee grounds, veg peelings, bones and egg shells.
The new campaign aims to show residents that recycling food waste is really a-peeling as it helps the environment and reduces landfill. The campaign will run throughout the year with the message being displayed at train stations and bus stops across the area.
Councillor Paul Ferretti, Convener of the Council’s Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee, said, “Recycling rates in East Dunbartonshire are really good, but we’ve noticed the amount of people using the food waste service has dropped off recently, and we’d like to help people get back into the habit.
"I’d like to say a big thank you to all residents who are currently recycling their food waste for their fantastic efforts and encourage others to support and make use of the weekly food waste collections on offer.
"With food waste taking up over 30 per cent of the average household bin, recycling this waste and using it to generate electricity instead can make a real difference in reducing our impact on the environment."
Kitchen caddies and bin liners are provided for free by the Council. The larger kerbside caddies lock to prevent smells, leaks and spillages and are emptied once a week.
Councillor Ferretti added, "One of the biggest barriers to food waste recycling seems to be the mess and smell people think it will generate. However, recycling food waste in our caddies using the food bags is actually more hygienic and reduces smells compared to placing it in your kitchen bin."
So, don't go bacon our hearts. Remember to recycle your food waste correctly to help us reduce general waste and achieve both recycling and landfill reduction targets.
If you would like to order a free food waste caddy, please contact the Council on 0300 123 4510 or complete our online form.
You can find out what you can put in your food caddy on our website by visiting the bin and recycling webpage
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