Food Waste Collections

Pledge to use your food waste collection

Did you know that nearly 30% of the waste that is thrown away in Devon is food waste?

If you are using your food waste collection THANK YOU! The majority of councils in Devon offer a weekly Food Waste Collection or are rolling out a new food waste collection service.

If you’re not using your food waste collection, simply pledge below for a chance to WIN a Food Juicer. There are 3 to giveaway and the prize draw will close on 31st August.  Good Luck!

Make your pledge here for a chance to WIN 1 of 3 Food Juicers



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    More inspiration and information:

    Why is food waste a problem?

    Globally, 30% of man-made CO2e greenhouse gases are created from the production and consumption of food. UK households throw away 6.5 million tonnes of food every year (4.5 million tonnes of that food is edible). Waste Analysis carried out last year in Devon has identified that nearly 30% of black bin waste is food waste. 79% of that food waste is avoidable and 35% of all discarded food is still packaged.

     What is a food waste collection service?

    Food waste is collected weekly in a food waste caddy alongside your other waste and recycling services. It is then processed in anaerobic digestion facilities in the South West. The material is broken down in a series of sealed, oxygen free tanks to produce methane, a gas used to generate electricity and digestate, a nutrient rich fertiliser used by local farmers.  Find out if your council offers a Food Waste Collection service?

    What can you put into your food waste caddy?

    • Yes please:
    • All cooked and uncooked food waste
    • Bread and pastries
    • Dairy produce
    • Eggshells
    • Fish and bones
    • Fruit and vegetables, including peelings
    • Meat and bones
    • Pasta and Rice
    • Tea bags and Coffee grounds
    • Uneaten pet food and cut flowers
    • No thanks:
    • Compostable Packaging (see below)
    • Garden waste
    • Anything other than food waste, uneaten pet food or cut flowers

    Top tips:

    • Use a kitchen caddy to store your food waste in your kitchen then transfer the food to your outside food waste collection container
    • Use can use ANY bag to line your caddy e.g. an old bread bag, empty salad bag, frozen food bag, old carrier bag, compostable bag or newspaper to keep it clean.
    • If you put the handle forward on your outside caddy the lid will lock to help keep the contents secure

    What happens to the bags used as caddy liners?

    They are all removed from the food waste at the start of the anaerobic digestion process and sent to an Energy from Waste plant. The anaerobic digestion facility cannot distinguish between normal plastic and compostable or biodegradable bags. In fact, it is better to reuse a normal plastic bag to line your caddy because compostable or biodegradable bags do not break down within the digestion process and can clog up the digester causing extra expense for it to be cleaned out.

    Why can’t you put compostable packaging in your food waste collection?

    The anaerobic digestion process requires uncontaminated food waste to work efficiently and effectively. Although a caddy liner is acceptable as a practicality there should be no other packaging in the caddy.

    Want to cut down on food waste and save money? Go here for help and advice

    Want to know how to compost your food waste at home? Here’s a handy step by step guide

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