Residents in Heysham are doing their bit towards tackling climate change by taking part in a food waste recycling trial.
UK households currently throw away around 7.2 million tonnes of food every year. As part of the government’s strategy to tackle climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, it is anticipated that it won’t be too long before councils are being asked to provide a weekly food waste collection service.
To help prepare for potential changes, Lancaster City Council is working in partnership with Lancashire County Council, the waste management authority, to trial a weekly food collection service within a designated area of the district.
The aim of the trial which started this week is to test the impact of additional food waste collections on the council’s current waste and recycling services and for the county council to test its sorting and composting process.
The original trial which was scheduled to start in March last year was put on hold as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 1000 households in the Windermere Park/Saxon Heights, Tomlinson Road and Bradford Grove area of Heysham have received a kitchen caddy, a kerbside caddy, supply of compostable bin liners and step by step instructions to help residents play an effective part in the trial.
All food waste can be recycled, including leftovers, peelings, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, pasta, bread, cakes, meat, fish and bones and tea and coffee grounds.
Those taking part in the trial have been asked to put their caddies out on their normal collection day (every Monday) alongside their other bins and boxes.
Councillor David Brookes, Cabinet member for waste and recycling, said: “By weight, food makes up almost a quarter of an average household's grey bin, so finding a better way of dealing with it can make a big difference.
“Composting food waste will substantially reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions compared to sending it to landfill, where it breaks down without oxygen and releases methane - a greenhouse gas that has a much stronger effect on global heating than carbon dioxide.
“Carrying out this trial will put us in a good position if, as expected, weekly food waste collection becomes the required national standard in the next few years. It is also a step in the right direction as part of the council's efforts to tackle the climate emergency."
Food waste recycling in the district was halted in 2016 by Lancashie County Council when changes in the way such waste was composted took place.
Man accused of stealing joints of meat at Lancaster Asda by hiding them in his trousers
LISTEN and PHOTOS: Spectacular display of 12,000 poppies unveiled at Lancaster landmark
Eden Project Morecambe boss gives update on early stages of work on new £100m attraction
Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth Remembrance services announced
Road closures for pre-Tour de France work announced for Lancaster district
Lancaster rock guitarist braves beard shave for charity
Two arrests made after post office robbery in Lancaster
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra to perform concert for schools at Morecambe Winter Gardens
PHOTOS: Plans go in for major Lancaster regeneration scheme
Lancaster music venue's heartfelt message ahead of final night on New Year's Eve
Morecambe school named among one of England's most improved for attendance
Lancaster hospital nursing boss appointed to University of Cumbria honorary role
Morecambe Football Club placed under another embargo by the National League
£1.5m Lancaster scheme to boost water quality in River Lune is complete
Family pays tribute to Lancaster pensioner who died in road crash
Popular artist's print of Morecambe Bay Academy to be launched at alumni evening
Work set to begin on new Heysham skate park
Light Up Lancaster promises to illuminate city with ‘No Boundaries’
Sadness as Morecambe sports and social club suffers break-in on night of reopening
Man arrested after death of pensioner in Lancaster road crash
