Peterborough residents recycle 4,000 tonnes of food waste in a year - but more is needed to be done

Every household in the city will shortly receive a leaflet on the food waste collection service, liners for food caddies and a sticker for their black bins to inspire them to make better food waste recycling choices.

Almost 30 per cent of waste in our black bins is currently food waste and residents are now being urged to use their food caddies to dispose of this waste. For every seven litre caddy of food waste that is recycled, enough energy is produced to power a TV for seven and a half hours.

The recycling campaign, launched by Peterborough City Council, educates residents on the positive environmental choices they will make by putting food waste into recycling.

Food waste sent to landfill, from black bins, doesn’t harmlessly breakdown. Instead, it has a negative impact on the environment as it rots and releases methane – a harmful greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Food waste from Peterborough is taken to a processing plant where it is used to generate electricity to power homes and the local community. The recycled waste also produces a fertiliser which can be used in farming to enrich the soil.

Food waste put in the black bins costs £870,000 per year to dispose of, in comparison if the food waste is recycled it costs £130,000, a saving of £740,000 every year.

Cllr Marco Cereste, Cabinet Member for the Environment at Peterborough City Council said: “Recycling has become an everyday activity for many households, but we now need to build on this and make it easier for households to recycle more, particularly food waste.

“We are asking residents to use their food caddies. All uneaten food and plate scrapings can be put into them as well as raw, cooked and mouldy out of date food, as long as it is removed from the packaging. We are also now collecting used cooking oil along with your food.

“Recycling your food waste has never been easier. We are supplying liners to every resident and if they need a caddy, contact us on 01733 747474. Your recycling is making a big difference to the environment. Last year households in Peterborough recycled almost 4,000 tonnes of their food waste. Let’s work together to recycle even more in 2021.”

Residents are asked to put their food recycling out for collection every week along with your black or green bin. If you don’t have a kitchen caddy, a food recycling bin or liners please get in touch with the council online at www.peterborough.gov.uk or call 01733 747474.