Preston’s first food waste collections for more than a decade are taking place today.
More than 65,000 food caddy bins have been delivered to households across the city with drop-offs beginning in late February.
Food recycling is making a return under a government push to decrease the amount of food waste sent to landfill.
Read more: Preston food waste recycling bins: full list of what you can and can’t put in
The 23-litre outdoor food waste caddy bins are being picked up by bin crews as the weekly food waste recycling collections begin.
Here’s all you need to know about the new food waste collections.
How many bins should I have?
Each household should have a seven-litre indoor food waste caddy for use in kitchen or elsewhere in the house. And a larger grey caddy for leaving out for collection each week.
When do I put it out?
The food waste bin can be put out for collection each week alongside the household waste (black bin) or recycling bin (yellow and red lid) collections.
When is my bin day?
Some bin days in the city have recently changed, so the city council is urging people to check their bin day online as it may have changed. Most households should have received a leaflet, although there has been criticism of the council that some deliveries were not made.
This change was made to standardise bin collection days as many new build properties had their household waste and recycling collection dates on different days of the week on a fortnightly cycle.
You must have your bins out before 7am on the day of collection.
What are the liners for?
You don’t have to use them, but they are recommended to go in the smaller bin and then you can bag up and place in the larger food waste bin.
Any bag can be used – it doesn’t need to be the liner. Or you can put food waste straight in but it’s recommended you clean the bins regularly if so.
Why is it even happening?
Funded by UK government the collections are brought in as part of the Environment Act of 2021 and aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions coming from landfill. We sat down with bin chiefs last month to hear more about the collections.
Where will the food waste go?
Preston City Council will transport the waste to the Lancashire County Council run facility at Farington.
It is then dried, composted and made into a compost-like material for use in land restoration or covering old landfill sites.
Didn’t we used to have these?
Yes, Preston City Council had a smaller scheme of kerbside food waste collections about a decade ago covering around 15,000 households.
It was scrapped due to the cost of the collections and not being a statutory service at the time as the council tried to find savings.
I don’t have one of these bins…
Only properties which have a kerbside or driveway bin collection have been delivered a food waste caddy. Details will be announced for homes which are in apartment blocks or who have shared bin collections.
Anyone who believes they should have received a food waste caddy but haven’t should contact wastemanagement@preston.gov.uk with their full address details.
What can go in them?
You can put in Vegetable peelings, baked goods, fruit, rice, beans and pasta, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds, raw and cooked meat or fish, including small bones, pet food, uneaten food and plate scrapings, mouldy and out of date food
What can’t go in?
Oil or liquid fat, liquids such as milk or juice, any non-food products such as cutlery, general waste, food packaging such as tubs, trays or foils, napkins, wipes, kitchen roll or any compostable or biodegradable packaging.
What if I want more liners?
Tie a liner, or small bag, round the handle of your caddy when putting out for collection and bin crews will drop off more. There’s no charge for caddy liners.
Won’t these encourage rats and pests?
Both of the bin caddies are lockable, pull the handle down to lock it.
I’m not in Preston…
Weekly food waste collections in Chorley and South Ribble have already begun as of Monday 13 April, and Wyre began theirs in late March. Ribble Valley and Fylde have been granted more time to get their collections going – after missing the government’s deadline of April.
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