Stone households were among those helping Stafford Borough recycle more than 80 tonnes of food waste in the first week of the borough’s new collection service.
The weekly food waste collections began on Monday 13 April across Stafford Borough, with around 60,000 households receiving new caddies and liners as part of the government backed rollout.
Stafford Borough Council said the amount collected in the first few days was high enough for bin crews to be sent out on Saturday as well, following the launch of the new service.
The council says the food waste is being sent to an anaerobic digestion plant, where it will be turned into energy. The digestate left behind will then be used in agriculture to help improve soil.
Councillor Ian Fordham, cabinet member for environment, said
“This is the biggest change to household recycling across our borough in more than a decade, and the evidence from the first week suggests residents are supporting it.
“Obviously rolling out a national initiative across the whole country has made this extremely challenging with local authorities competing to have new vehicles and containers ready to deliver the service, so I can understand how other councils have not been able to do this within the government timescales.”
The new service uses a small seven litre kitchen caddy indoors and a larger 23 litre kerbside caddy outside. Collections take place on the usual bin day, but the food waste is picked up separately and can be collected at a different time. Residents are still asked to put the caddy out by 7am and leave it out until it has been emptied.
Items that can go into the caddies include fruit and vegetables, including peelings, meat and bones, fish, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggs and dairy products.
Note: Liquids, oils, fats, garden waste and food packaging should not be put in the new bins.
The council has also said there is no extra charge for residents, with the equipment and service funded by central government.
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