In a month’s time, Bournemouth residents will start to receive their food waste containers in readiness for the new collection service which begins in March 2014.
From the 7th January, householders who have a ‘Big Bin’ and ‘Little Bin’, will receive a food waste container, which can sit inside the general rubbish bin (‘Little Bin’) whilst still allowing other waste to be put into the rubbish bin. Residents will also receive a small kitchen caddy which can be used inside to reduce trips outside to the large container, an instruction booklet and a roll of compostable caddy liners.
Deliveries of the new containers will continue until mid-February. Flat properties with communal bins are required to opt-in to receive the new service.
The new collection service will take place weekly at the same time as general rubbish is collected using a new dual-compartment waste collection vehicles. As the collections will not start until the week beginning 3rdMarch, once they have received their new containers, residents should not use them until the week before their first collection in March.
Councillor Michael Filer, cabinet portfolio holder for waste, said, “We’re introducing this new food waste collection to enhance our weekly collections, reducing the amount of food waste in the rubbish stream and increasing recycling. Separating food waste from the general rubbish means that it can be converted into a high grade compost and the by-products used to generate electricity. In turn this reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, and the environmental and financial cost of disposing of rubbish.”
The new food waste containers, the new vehicles, and all costs associated with introducing the new food waste collections have been met from central government after Bournemouth Borough Council secured funding from central government to enhance the current weekly waste collection.
Georgina Fry, waste and resource projects manager, added, “Bournemouth residents have proven how great they are at recycling using the ‘Big Bin, Little Bin’ scheme and with the new food waste service they can throw even less away and recycle more. Even people who make their own compost at home will still have items that can be put into the new containers such as cooked food, meat, fish and dairy items.”
Food waste accounts for 38 per cent of waste in Bournemouth, and includes not only banana skins, apple cores, and fish bones, but also avoidable waste such as out-of-date food.
Georgina continued, “The new food waste container has been specially designed to make it easier for people to separate their food waste and minimise the amount of space needed to store it as it can sit within the ‘Little Bin’. The small caddy can be lined with compostable liners provided by the Council and stored in the kitchen for use on a daily basis to reduce trips to the larger container outside. We’ve really tried to make the new service as comprehensive and user friendly as possible.”
Further information about the new food waste collections service can be found at
www.bournemouth.gov.uk/foodwaste
Food waste and recycling tips and information about events are available on the Recycle for Bournemouth Facebook page www.facebook.com/RecycleforBournemouth.
Bournemouth residents who live in either private, council or housing association blocks of flats with communal bins who are not yet signed-up for the new food waste collections can join the scheme either by calling 01202 451199 or emailing [email protected].
