Food waste
What you can put in your brown bin
| From the kitchen |
From the garden |
| Fruit and vegetables |
Grass, hedge and shrub cuttings |
| Meat and fish |
Leaves |
| Dairy products |
Flower and plant cuttings |
| Egg shells |
Twigs and small branches |
| Carcasses and bones |
Weeds |
| Plate scrapings |
Straw and hay |
| Rice, pasta, bread and pastries |
Old garden or house plants (no tubs please!) |
| Tea bags and coffee grounds |
|
Food waste - frequently asked questions
Why should I recycle my food waste?
At least 25% of household waste collected across the borough is
unused or leftover food. Due to the rising cost of waste disposal,
it is 50% more expensive to collect and dispose of food waste in
your refuse bin than it is to recycle your food waste in your brown
wheeled bin.
Which types of food waste can I recycle using this
service?
Fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, egg shells,
carcasses and bones, plate scrapings, rice, pasta, bread, pastries,
tea bags and coffee grounds.
Will collections be postponed during the winter months?
No - collections will continue throughout the year.
Can I put food waste in my brown bin before October 2011?
No. Up to October the garden waste that we collect will still be
taken to the existing site for open windrow composting. This site
does not allow food waste to be included with the garden waste so
please wait until October before putting food waste in your brown
bin.
How often will the brown bin be collected?
Your brown bin will continue to be emptied every two weeks.
My collection has been missed what should I do?
Please phone 0845 226 1800 or e-mail recycling@rochdale.gov.uk to
report a missed collection.
When will I receive my food waste caddy?
We will start delivering caddies week commencing 19th September
2011.
What if I don’t want to receive a food waste caddy?
Simply contact the council by telephoning us on 0845 226 1800 or
visit recycling@rochdale.gov.uk
and we will make sure the crew do not deliver you a caddy.
I have received a food waste caddy but I haven't got a brown
bin?
If you wish to use the mixed food and garden waste service and
should have a brown bin. Please contact us on 0845 226 1800 or
visit recycling@rochdale.gov.uk to
order a brown bin.
I am bothered about smells from my caddy?
By keeping the caddy lid securely closed smells will not escape.
However, the caddy has a vent in the lid which if used will help to
dry out the food waste reducing the potential for the food to
generate smells. The leaflet supplied with the caddy explains how
this vent operates.
I haven't got space for the caddy in my kitchen?
Brackets can be purchased from the caddy supplier Coral to
enable the caddy to be stored inside a cupboard. Please see the
leaflet that is supplied with the caddy for further details.
I already home compost most of my food waste?
Please continue to compost at home as this the best
environmental option for disposing of certain food wastes. Foods
you can’t home compost such as meat, eggs, fish, dairy products or
cooked food can be put in your brown bin.
My brown bin states ‘No food waste’ on the lid
Please ignore this. The lid information about food waste applies
to the old garden waste only collection system.
What about food waste collections for properties without
gardens e.g. terraced housing and flats?
Unfortunately it has only been possible to include properties
with garden waste bins in the mixed food and garden waste service.
However we hope to introduce tailor-made food waste recycling
arrangements for terraced properties and flats in the
future.
How can I purchase replacement compostable liners?
You can purchase rolls of replacement compostable liners from
local shops, supermarkets or online from Gardening Delights.
View
a list of local stockists (17.5kb pdf).
Order you replacement liners
from Gardening Delights
All Co-operative supermarkets will also stock
compostable carrier bags for you to purchase at a cost of 6p each.
Please only use compostable liners made from corn starch to line
your food waste caddy. Look out for the "seedling" logo or
certification number EN13432 on acceptable compostable liners.
Remember: We cannot accept any type of
plastic bags, not even degradable or biodegradable ones, as they do
not compost. These bags are generally oil based products with
special additives to break them down into smaller pieces of plastic
which contaminate the compost.
How should I store the liners?
We recommend that liners are stored in a cool, dry place away
from direct sunlight.
Do I have to use caddy liners?
No. They are an option to help you to keep your caddy clean and
to assist the process of transferring food waste to your brown
bin.
What happens to the food and garden waste after it is
collected?
It is taken to the new In-vessel Composting (IVC) facility at
Chichester Street, Rochdale where it is composted. Mixed food and
garden waste must be composted "in-vessel". This is an
enclosed, intensive method of composting with accurate temperature
control and monitoring to ensure that the material is fully
sanitised before it is matured and screened for use as soil
conditioner in agriculture.
This type of process must be used for both pure food waste and
food waste mixed with garden waste.