The amount of waste being thrown into domestic bins in East Dunbartonshire could be drastically reduced if more residents used the weekly food recycling service.
Around a third of rubbish being chucked into grey residual bins across the region is made up of food waste, which emits harmful methane gas once it breaks down in landfill sites.
A campaign to encourage residents to use the free service has now been launched by East Dunbartonshire Council. Colourful leaflets explaining what can and can’t be recycled will be posted through letterboxes over the next couple of weeks, along-with a supply of food bin liners.
The average household which does not recycle food waste is currently throwing the equivalent of £38 each month into the bin, so the campaign is aimed at getting these residents participating in the food waste collection service. Almost all dry food can be recycled – in East Dunbartonshire, it is then treated before being converted into energy. Kitchen caddies and bin liners are provided by the Council, the larger kerbside caddies lock to prevent smells, leaks and spillages and are emptied once a week.
Councillor Stewart MacDonald, Convener of Neighbourhood Services, 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.
“The leaflets show exactly what can and can’t be placed in the bins. Anything such as peelings, apple cores, bones, tea bags and both cooked and raw food can go in.
“We hope that residents will also consider the amount of food that they throw away, which stands at the equivalent of around £38 a month for the average home - £460 a year. The Love Food Hate Waste website has excellent tips for reducing this at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com, but there will still always be unavoidable food waste, which is why recycling it is important.”
Julie McNeill, who recycles the food waste produced by her family at their home in Bishopbriggs, added, “Recycling has made me more conscious about how much food we waste, and I’m now careful about only buying what my family needs. I used to buy multi-packs because they were cheaper, but I ended up just throwing a lot of it into the bin.
“Food waste recycling couldn’t be easier, the caddy only sits in the kitchen for a day or two before the bag goes outside, and it’s then picked up once a week. It means that there aren’t any smells from the main kitchen bin, which is now less full too. Recycling is also the right thing to do for environmental reasons.”
If you would like to order a food waste caddy, please contact the Council on 0300 123 4510. More information about recycling can be found at https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/residents/recycling-and-waste
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