Veolia, Lambeth Council’s contractor, advises:

"Only 30% of Lambeth households are using the kerbside food recycling service - even though its so easy to recycle. So we’re making it easier still to remember what, where, when & how to recycle food waste. Lambeth’s food waste recycling service has been running for almost six years. We think it’s time to remind everyone about how easy it is to recycle food waste, and give people a helping hand to get started. Its available for all kerbside properties to use.

Food recycling

The service enables you to recycle all food, from meat and bones to dairy, fruit and vegetables. The service is weekly and collected on the same day as your rubbish and recycling bins.

Win win

Ideally, no food should be wasted; however, around 25 percent of food waste is unavoidable – you need to get rid of your veg peelings, fruit cores, and eggshells somehow! But as well as benefiting the environment, recycling your food waste gives you more space in your rubbish bin. Your food waste is turned into nutrient-rich soil conditioner which is used on parks, farms and gardens, including community gardens in Lambeth.

Saving you money

Councils are charged by the tonne to dispose of waste, so throwing away food as rubbish is expensive.  It costs two-and-a-half times more to dispose of food as rubbish than to recycle it!

Keep your eyes peled!

Starting on Monday 11 March, if you live in a low-rise house with plastic wheelie bins for rubbish and recycling (a kerbside property), over the next few weeks you’ll receive a leaflet with handy tips on reducing food waste and advice on how to use the recycling service. You’ll also get a complimentary roll of biodegradable liners to get started, and ‘No food waste’ stickers to remind you how to make the best use of your rubbish bins.

For more information

• You can check your collection day
• If you’re short of a food waste caddy order one
• If you find yourself with surplus food that’s still edible, the People’s Fridge in Brixton will be happy to take it."

Many residents living in flats or on estates would like to recycle food waste, but unfortunately Veolia are unable to offer this service at the moment. They suggest residents getting together to manage a composter.

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