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You are here: Home > Planning and Environment > Waste and Recycling
 

Weekly food waste collection - small brown bin

Food waste containers
Food waste containers
12

All homes in Gwynedd have a weekly food waste collection from the brown food waste bin and compostable bags. The food waste is collected weekly with the blue boxes.

What is the service?
It's a weekly food waste collection service. Properties will receive a 22 litre brown bin to be presented at the kerbside for collection on the same day as the blue box. The food waste will be collected and turned into compost. Properties who have a weekly collection will have received a letter and further information.

What is collected?
We will collect all sorts of food waste; fruit and vegetable peelings, cheese, bread, beans, cooked food, plate scraps, food that has passed it's best, coffee grounds, teabags, bones and fish. Any food waste that is not a a liquid, such as milk or oil - we cannot accept liquid.

What about the containers/wrappers?
We will not accept any food that is still in its packaging or in wrappers, such as cheese in its wrapper, the cheese should go in the brown bin and the wrapper in the green bin/black bag. If any packaging or wrappers are in the brown bin the bin will not be collected. Food packaging or wrappers cannot be composted, and will be refused. 

Why is the food being collected every week?
We must reduce the amount of waste going into landfill sites, and collecting your food waste is one way of doing this. Your food waste can be turned into useful compost, as well as helping the environment. Food waste contributes to the worst of the smells and mess in your bin. We want to collect your food waste every week separately to the rest of your waste to ease collection and reduce the amount of waste going into landfill.

We must recycle and compost 52% of our waste by 2013, 58% by 2016 and 70% by 2025. If we do not hit these targets the Council may face a fine.

Can I put garden waste in the 22 litre bin?
Only food waste can be accepted in the 22 litre food waste bin. Garden waste should go into the large wheeled brown bin (140/240 litre), which is collected every two weeks, use a compost bin, or you can use your nearest recycling centre.

What are the bags?
A supply of bags will be provided with each new bin. The bags that we provide are made from starch and are compostable, and will rot down in a matter of weeks. One roll will last 6 months. You will receive 2 rolls.

How can I get more bags?
You can contact us for more bags, once your two rolls are almost finished. Phone us on: (01766) 771000. The bags are available in all of Gwynedd's libraries.

What can I use to line the kitchen caddy?
You can use newspaper or kitchen rolls to line the caddy. We can accept this paper in the food waste bin. Please do not use any bags.

What is happening to the garden waste collection service?
The garden waste collection will continue as a fortnightly collection with the 140 or 240 litre wheeled brown bin.

What if my bin is refused?
If there are any unsuitable items in the 22 litre brown bin they will be refused as the items are unsuitable for our composting facility. You will have to remove any unsuitable items out and present the correct items for the next collection.

Will my 140 / 240 litre wheeled brown bin be refused if there is food waste in it?
We will not refuse a brown bin with food in it, but we have a dedicated weekly collection service for food, If you have more food than what can be contained in the 22 litre brown bin please feel free to contact us, we can provide an additional 22 litre brown bin if needed.

What are the benefits of collecting food waste?
Collecting food waste separately means that we can:
• Contribute towards biodegradable waste diversion from landfill targets.
• Improve recycling rates
• Reduce waste disposal costs as landfill costs increase
• Reduce the environmental effects associated with landfill (leachate, landfill gas emissions etc)
• Reduce greenhouse gases emissions by removing the biodegradable items from landfill sites
• Produce compost that can be used to improve soil
• Remove the smelliest element from household waste and collect it every week.

Why can't we put food waste in the green bin if it rots in landfill?
Food waste can produce methane gas in landfill, where there is no oxygen present whilst the food rots. Putting food waste in the brown bin means that it can be composted.

I compost at home, do I need to stop doing this?
No, carry on. composting at home is good practice and can help reduce your carbon footprint, and is a great way to make your own compost. Remember, cooked food and dairy products, bread, pasta, meat, fish and bones cannot be composted at home, use the 22 litre bin for those items.

What happens to the waste in the 22 litre food waste bin?

The food waste is taken to our Anaerobic Digestion site (AD) in Llwyn Isaf, Clynnog Fawr. Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is a natural process and can be used as a renewable energy source. Treating food waste at this site will generate electricity for 700 homes in Gwynedd.

If I put additional food by the waste bin will it be collected?
No. Unfortunately we cannot collect additional food waste by the 22 litre bin. If you have more food than what can be contained in the 22 litre brown bin please feel free to contact us, we can provide an additional 22 litre brown bin if needed.

I don't produce food waste, what should I do with the waste?
Even if you don't produce much food waste often it is important that any food waste you produce is put in the 22 litre bin. Even though you may think that you don't produce food waste, but you can produce inevitable food waste such as vegetable peelings or bones, which account for a large percentage of our food waste. It is important that we use the 22 litre bin for that reason.

Can I put my house name/number on the 22 litre bin?
Yes. This can help our collection crew to return them to the correct property.

Will the 5 litre caddy and the 22 litre smell?
No, not if you empty the contents of the 5 litre into the 22 litre, and tie the bag in the 22 litre before the collection. You can also use newspaper or kitchen paper to wrap the food waste, which can absorb some of the moisture. The 22 litre is lockable to reduce any smell. We recommend that you wash both bins often. If you keep the 22 litre bin outside, please note that it is important to keep it out of direct sunlight.
 
If you have another question about the service that is not covered in this section please email: recycling@gwynedd.gov.uk or phone Galw Gwynedd on: (01766) 771000 and ask for the Waste and Recycling Help Desk.

 



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Last updated: 30/10/2013
 
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