Food waste pilot to improve recycling rates

It's expected that the trial, which will see around 10,000 homes in Southwark able to separate their food waste, will result in increased recycling rates and less rubbish going to landfill.

Residents have been asking the council about the possibility of recycling their food waste and this pilot is in response to these requests.  It is also driven by the council's push to become a more efficient recycling authority.

Food and other recyclable goods currently fill up around two thirds of the Southwark resident's bin.  The council is adjusting the weekly collections to ensure as much as possible of this is recycled in a way that is easy for residents and is not sent to landfil.

The six month pilot will start in October in wards in Dulwich, Camberwell, Nunhead, Peckham and Rotherhithe. The council will keep a close eye on its progress and welcomes residents feedback in order to make it as successful as possible.

The aim of the authority is to reduce the costly and environmentally damaging practice of sending waste, that could be recycled, to landfill.

How it works

Food waste will be separated in the kitchen into provided biodegradable bags and then added to the secure garden waste (brown) recycling container. This will be collected weekly.

 

Dry recyclables, such as paper, card, glass and tins (blue bins & boxes) will get collected as normal, weekly.

The small amount of leftover rubbish, such as unrecyclable packaging and crisp packets, will be collected on alternate weeks.

The overall frequency and number of collections from homes will not change.

Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling at Southwark Council, said

"Because we all care very much about our environment we are providing an
improved weekly collection of recyclables, an improved weekly collection of garden waste and a new weekly collection of food waste. We're constantly looking at ways to improve our recycling service, and this pilot is all about improved weekly collections, which could prove a vital tool in hitting our target of doubling the borough-wide rate by 2014."

Notes to editors

What gets collected and when.

1. Every week the council will pick up:
Food & garden waste
Plate scrapings
Bread, rice and pasta
Meat, fish and bones
Fruit and vegetables
Eggs and dairy products
Tea bags and coffee grounds
Plants, twigs and branches
Grass & leaves
Paper and card
Cardboard
Aerosols and foil
Glass bottles and jars
Food tins and drink cans
Plastic bottles
Plastic containers and food trays

2 . On alternate weeks the council will also collect the small percentage of
waste that cannot be recycled. This includes:
Plastic film, cellophane and plastic bags
Polystyrene
Glass ware, cutlery and crockery

More information 

New weekly food and garden waste collection