Food waste for residents

Change is coming

The 'Simpler Recycling' change is coming out of the Government's Resources and Waste Strategy, first published back in 2018.

For further information about the government's plans and simpler recycling please visit: 

• Simpler Food Waste
• Gov.uk: Resources and waste strategy for England
• WRAP: The Business of Recycling

More information is also available at Gov.uk: Consistency in household and business recycling in England consultation - government response.

Why we are introducing the new legislation

We are carrying out the relevant planning ahead of the legislation coming into force. From April 2026, every household in the county will receive a separate weekly food waste collection, alongside the existing refuse and recycling service. The new legislation is part of the Government's new plans which aim to improve recycling rates and lower greenhouse emissions. 

Food waste bin

Each household will receive a 23L external caddy to be kept outside and a 5L internal caddy to go in the kitchen. The dimensions of the caddies are: 

• External caddy: H410xW320xD400mm
• Internal caddy: H205xW250xD205mm

We are hoping to issue all households with caddies and bins by March 31 2026. We will contact you ahead of these being delivered. 

Types of food you can put in your caddy

All food intended for human or household pet consumption, regardless of whether it has any nutritional value, can go into your caddy. This includes biodegradable material resulting from the processing or preparation of food, including inedible food parts such as bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags and coffee grounds.

Yes please:

• plate scrapings
• meat, fish and bones (both raw and cooked)
• bread and pastries
• fruit and vegetables
• tea bags and coffee grounds
• dairy products such as cheese and eggs, including egg shells
• any mouldy and out of date food (but please remove packaging)

No thanks:

• packaging of any kind (including compostable packaging)
• plastic bags (appropriate bin liners are ok)
• liquids such as milk 
• oil, fat or liquid fat
• foil, cutlery, polystyrene, glass or plastic food wrap. 
• flowers and plants 

Liners you can use in your caddies

You can keep your food waste containers clean by using compostable liners, newspaper or kitchen roll. We will communicate more about this before the start of the service. 

Collections

The larger external caddy will be collected each week from where you place your existing refuse and recycling bin. You will be advised of your collection day ahead of the service commencing.

Composting at home

We encourage residents to continue to compost at home and use the food waste caddy for types of food that are difficult to compost at home such as meat, fish, bones, cooked food and dairy products. You can find out what goes in each bin on our What goes in which bin? page.

Smell from your kitchen caddy

Your kitchen caddy and food waste bin should not smell. Food waste will be collected weekly which will reduce smells. We advise regularly emptying your kitchen food waste caddy into the outdoor one and regularly rinsing it out. 

Concerns about pests and vermin

The outdoor caddy will have a sealable and lockable lid which prevents pests and vermin. 

Recycling food waste

Each year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally. That is over one third of all food produced globally. The new changes will feed into our Climate Emergency Response. Food waste is estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to contribute to eight to ten per cent of man made greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste was a country, it would be the world's third largest after the USA and China.