Hillingdon Council is encouraging residents to sign up for food waste collections and recycle leftovers to further improve the borough’s recycling rate, protect the environment and mark National Recycle Week (14 to 20 September).
By recycling as much food waste as they can, residents can reduce contamination, improve the quality of the borough's dry mixed recycling and make a positive difference to the environment.
Signing up for the council’s food waste collections is easy and you’ll be supplied with all you need to get started: you’ll receive a kitchen caddy, outdoor food waste bin and liners.
If residents already have a caddy, but aren’t using it, Recycle Week is the perfect time to start. Recycling leftovers, bones, peelings and expired food reduces household waste and helps the environment as these are turned into nutrient-rich compost and renewable energy for the national grid.
Food waste found in dry mixed recycling bags can contaminate an entire load and cause it to be rejected, which reduces the volume of recycling that can be successfully processed.
Alongside food waste, the council offers a comprehensive range of recycling services, including collections for dry mixed recycling, garden waste and textiles, and dedicated bins where residents can deposit small electricals, batteries, coffee pods and vapes.
Our waste and recycling centres accept most recyclable household items and for residents who can’t access those, our Pop-Up Waste Drop make it easy to recycle unwanted and bulky items local to home. Find out more at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/recycling.
Cllr Wayne Bridges, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents Services, said: “We want you to be a winner, by recycling your dinner. Taking a few moments to scrape the remains off your plate into your food waste caddy is a great way to recycle more and help reduce your environmental impact.
“It’s easy and the benefits are multiple too; keeping recyclable and compostable material out of general waste, enabling the borough to produce high quality recycling, while also ensuring that valuable materials are given a new lease of life.
“Our comprehensive recycling offer makes it easy for residents to play their part and give new life to many household items, reducing the burden on the environment.
“If you’re not yet signed up for food waste collections, or you are but could recycle more, Recycle Week is the ideal opportunity to make a commitment to reducing your waste, so be good and recycle your food.”
Find out more and sign up now at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/food-waste.