UK – trials to identify best ways to collect household food waste

Seventeen local authorities across England will trial new food waste collection services to help determine the best way of diverting this waste from landfill. WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) is keen to establish the most convenient way for people to take part in this new service.



The trials are being phased in over the next few weeks to monitor the environmental and cost benefits of weekly food waste collection schemes, and will involve the collection of all types of food waste from vegetable peelings to meat and dairy produce. Food waste collected during the trials will be taken to in vessel composting sites or anaerobic digesters where it will be transformed into a compost-like product.



Reducing the biodegradable waste which goes to landfill cuts emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and is an important part of the battle against climate change. Evidence shows that collecting food waste separately and on a weekly basis spurs this aspect of recycling. A diverse range of local authorities have been chosen for the trials to gauge how food waste collection schemes could work in both urban and rural areas, and among different types of housing and communities.



New collection vehicles will also be tested during the trials and each scheme will involve between 5,000 and 7,000 households within a local authority‘‘s area.



The schemes being trialled range from services to flats in the London Boroughs of Hackney and Kingston upon Thames, to a rural trial in West Devon, where the collection area and distance that needs to be covered is greater.



Each householder will be provided with a modern kitchen caddy and supply of biodegradable liners for use in the home, and residents on a kerbside collection will also receive a kerbside container with a lockable lid. The trials will continue until next March after which it will be for the participating local authorities to decide whether to expand their food waste collection services.



The trials are being supported financially by WRAP with funding from Defra. WRAP ROTATE (Recycling and Organics Technical Advisory Team) has provided advice on the design and roll out of the trials and on communications materials, including introduction and instruction leaflets, caddy stickers and contamination tags. WRAP will be supporting the monitoring and evaluation of the trials too. This will include canvassing residents‘‘ views on the services and identifying any barriers to a wider roll-out.



The 17 local authorities across England have been selected by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) to trial a weekly food waste collection service.



The schemes are based in:





Mid Bedfordshire

Bradford

Calderdale

Hackney

Newcastle

Preston

South London Waste Partnership including the London Boroughs of Kingston, Sutton, Merton and Croydon

Surrey Waste Partnership including Mole Valley

Elmbridge and Guildford

Waveney

West Devon

Luton

South Shropshire