FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Food waste collection is an important part of increasing the amount of waste we recycle, reducing our impact on the environment and helping to tackle climate change. All councils in England must provide households with food waste collections from April 2026.
Containers are due to be delivered beginning 12 January 2026. Please do not use these until your April collection has commenced.
Letters will be sent out in March and April to confirm when collections start. Please look out for this. Collections will be updated on the website as the service begins
To use the service, simply line your caddy with a compostable liner and put your food waste into it. When it is full, tie the liner and place it in your outside container. Please ensure your outside container is presented at your usual collection point by 7am. Please do not present your kitchen caddy for collection
We are currently issuing every home with one 5L kitchen caddy. You will either be provided with a 23L outside food container, or a 140L food wheelie bin for communal areas. Please do not present your kitchen caddy for collection.
The kitchen caddy is only 5L and designed to be kept on a kitchen work surface or under the sink. You could always use your own smaller container with a compostable liner to keep food waste in before transferring it to the outside container.
Please only start to use your caddy the week before your first collection is due to take place. This is so you are not left with food waste in your caddy for longer than needed. We will write to residents to tell you your collection day. This information will also be available on our website.
All your raw and cooked food waste, including:
All uneaten food and plate scrapings, dairy products (except liquids), cheese, eggs, bread, cakes, pastries, meat, bones, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit, vegetables, peelings, fish, bones, rice, pasta, beans. Remember, you can also put your mouldy and out of date food (without packaging) in your kitchen caddy.
There is no amount too small. Some waste like banana skins, tea bags and plate scrapings are inevitable. These can all go in your kitchen caddy.
Where residents share communal bins, a food wheelie bin with a special lid will be provided. If you have individual bins in a bin store and there is enough space, you will be given your own outside caddy.