Food waste - Is yours a sin bin?

You can now sign up for email alerts to be informed of changes to your bin collection and recycling news. We also offer subscriptions to other council services and news.

Is yours a food waste sin bin?

We all produce food waste at home, much of which is unavoidable and could be reduced with simple changes to our shopping habits that could actually save money. But when recycled, food waste can be turned into something useful.

Food waste produced in Caerphilly county borough goes through a process that produces compost. At the moment, less than half of residents take part in the weekly food waste collection scheme and the council estimates that close to 7,000 tonnes of food waste is being placed in green refuse bins at a cost of nearly half a million pounds a year!

If every household participated in food waste collections, the council could save nearly £200,000 a year which would help protect other frontline services.

Your food waste bin is collected EVERY WEEK at the kerbside so it avoids it being left for the fortnightly waste collection.

Food for thought

Each household should have two containers for food waste; a small caddy to keep in the kitchen and a larger caddy to store outside.

Recycling your food waste couldn’t be easier!

• Line your caddy with a compostable liner or newspaper. You can even put the food waste straight into the food waste bin – do whatever works for you 

• Whenever you need to empty your kitchen caddy, tie the top of the liner or wrap up the newspaper and put it in your outdoor food waste bin

• Remember – your food waste bin comes with a lockable handle

Your food waste recycling really is making a difference – so thank you! We are currently doing very well with recycling rates exceeding 60%, but we need to do more.

The Welsh Government has set targets which require us to recycle at least 64% by 2019/20 and 70% by 2024/25. This can be achieved if everyone takes part and we can avoid fines of up to £1 million, which can be used to maintain our essential front-line services.

Remember - It is better to recycle food waste every week instead of disposing of it in the refuse bin, which is collected every two weeks. It is important to remember that food waste should not be placed into the brown recycling bin. Placing inappropriate materials in the recycling container may result in prosecution.

To request a FREE food waste caddy or to check your food waste collection day, please call the team on 01443 866533 or visit the Food waste section.