Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) has reported an increase in food waste recycling tonnage for the third month in a row following the launch of a 12-month trial to provide all residents with free indoor food waste caddy liners.
The trial launched in December 2023 with the first 6-month supply of liners being delivered directly to resident’s doors.
The following 6-month supply are now available for collection from local libraries, leisure centres, Bedwas Council Chambers, Penallta House and Penallta Reuse Shop.
Following the launch of the trial the Council has recorded a year-on-year increase to food waste recycling for three consecutive months, with an overall increase of 11% or 115.55 tonne – around the weight of a blue whale.
The number of free food waste caddies requested by residents has also increased with indoor caddy requests increasing from 383 to 1201 year-on-year from the period of January to March and outdoor caddy requests increasing from 4325 to 5107 for the same period.
The trial is part of the Council’s seven-year route map to ensure Caerphilly meets and exceeds statutory recycling targets set by Welsh Government.
Cllr Chris Morgan, Cabinet Member for Waste, Leisure & Green spaces, says: “We are thrilled to see such promising figures just three months into our free caddy liner trial.
Food waste currently makes up around 31 per cent of our green general waste bins in the Borough, if we could get all this waste from our general waste into a food waste caddy, it would have a huge effect on our recycling rates and the environment.
“We have great participation figures for mixed (brown bin) recycling, however our lack of participation of food recycling negatively affects our overall recycling rate.
For more information about food waste recycling or to order your free food waste caddy, visit: www.caerphilly.gov.uk/food-waste
Please continue to reduce food waste wherever you can, but when this isn’t possible, always recycle!”
For more information about food waste recycling or to order your free food waste caddy, visit: www.caerphilly.gov.uk/food-waste
