Grey bins are NOT for food waste – brown bins are!

Bury Council is urging residents to get behind the drive to increase food waste recycling and get the borough’s recycling rate up from 55% to 60% or more.

The extra boost to food waste recycling will save in the region of £500,000 in avoided waste disposal costs.

During March, leaflets are being delivered to all households highlighting the point that grey bins are not for food waste – brown bins are. The leaflets also give residents several good reasons why the food they can’t eat should be recycled. These include:

• It’s free - the council gives residents everything they need;
• It’s really easy to do;
• The council collects it more often (once every two weeks);
• It saves space in rubbish bins;
• It saves money for other public services; and
• It gets turned into compost for use in gardens.

As a reminder to keep food waste out of grey bins, stickers stating ‘No food waste please’ are being attached to every grey rubbish bin across the borough.

Councillor Tony Isherwood, cabinet member for the environment, said: “Although some residents have got to grips with recycling their food waste, some households have either given up or, sadly, just haven’t bothered.

“To those residents who are recycling their food waste, I’d like to say that’s great and thank you – please keep it up. But for those who aren’t, now is the time to make it part of your daily life. It’s free, it’s easy, we give you everything you need – and it’s just as easy as putting it in your rubbish bin.”

For food waste recycling the council provides a kitchen caddy, compostable liners and a brown recycling bin. All items can be ordered online or by phone, and kitchen caddies and liners can also be collected from libraries across the borough. Small brown bins can be changed on request to a slim line wheelie bin if preferred.Visit www.bury.gov.uk/requestabin or phone 0161 253 5353.

ENDS

Press release issued: 23 March 2016.