Egg shells, used tea bags, potato peelings, chicken bones and scrapings off your plate – did you know they can all be recycled into compost?
Bolton Council is reminding residents that all food – raw, uncooked and leftovers – can be put in their green bin or food waste container for recycling.
Bin collection crews are putting stickers on everyone’s grey bins urging people not to put food waste in them.
The stickers also include information on how to order free recycling bins.
The council collects around 20,000 tonnes of food and garden waste a year. This is good news but it is estimated that approximately 6,000 tonnes of food waste is still being put in the borough’s grey bins each year.
It costs significantly more to dispose of food waste collected in the grey bin rather than recycling it by turning it into compost. Putting waste in the right bin also leaves more room in grey bins for rubbish that cannot be recycled.
A council spokesman, said: “We want to thank residents for helping us to improve our overall recycling rate. We are on target to achieve a rate of 47 per cent this year – up from 39 per cent two years ago.
“This is great news but food waste is still being put in grey bins. Some residents may feel they that do not generate much food waste but every bit adds up and people can help by recycling everything from tea bags to chicken bones and plate scrapings.
“If every household in Bolton reduced the amount of food waste in their grey bin by 9kg each year - the equivalent of 9 bags of sugar - this would save approximately £300,000 annually in waste disposal costs.
“Over the next few months waste collection crews will be applying the ‘no food waste please’ stickers to all grey bins in the borough. Everyone’s bin is getting a sticker and no one is being singled out.
“We only started the initiative last week and we have already had an increase in orders for green bins and food waste containers.”
Residents are entitled to either a green bin or a food waste container depending on where they live.
Green bins, food waste containers, kitchen caddies and caddy liners can be ordered at www.bolton.gov.uk/loverecycling.
For more information on where to buy compost made from food and garden waste, and tips on recycling and reducing your waste, visit www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com