More than 330 tonnes of food waste collected in city
Thousands of city households are regularly using their new food waste caddies in Lincoln with almost 330 tonnes collected in the first six weeks of the scheme.
Eight weeks on from the launch of collections in Lincoln the response from residents has been positive as they have recycled food that would have previously gone into land waste.
The new weekly service makes it easier for residents to recycle everyday items such as peelings, leftovers, tea bags and bones. All of the food waste that is collected from homes is taken to an anaerobic digestion facility, where it is turned into energy and fertiliser, supporting local agriculture and generating renewable power.
The feedback to City of Lincoln Council has highlighted how simple the service is to use and how it helps keep general waste cleaner.
Cllr Rebecca Longbottom, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place said: “It’s really positive to see so many residents across Lincoln getting involved with the new food waste collections so quickly. Introducing a new service on this scale is a big change, but people have really taken to it. On collection days, it's great to see the huge number of distinctive, orange-lidded caddies carefully placed next to the other household bins.
“Not only is this new service helping to reduce the amount of waste going into general bins, but it’s also supporting the production of renewable energy and fertiliser through the recycling process.”
Cllr Danny Brookes, Chairman of the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership, added there had also been a positive response across the county where the scheme is operating
“It's fantastic to see so many residents getting involved so quickly. In just a few weeks, households across Lincolnshire have made a real difference by using their food waste caddies and helping to recycle more from home.
“What’s been especially encouraging is seeing how people are really embracing the service — from decorating their caddies so they don’t get mixed up, to building simple holders and coming up with creative ways to make it work in their homes.
“This is an important step forward, and we’re really encouraged by the positive start. Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far and supported the crews as the service gets up and running.”
Pamela Woolcock, Group Public Sector Lead at BioteCH4, said: “Just over four weeks into food waste collections across Lincolnshire, we’re delighted with the progress so far. It’s been fantastic to see teams across the county come together to deliver 950 tonnes of food waste to our Hemswell site for processing. This volume will generate enough electricity to power 1,918 homes for a month and produce 807 tonnes of nutrient-rich biofertiliser for local farmland - helping to close the loop by returning valuable nutrients back to the soil.”
For more information visit www.lincoln.gov.uk/foodwaste.