Bright ‘No food waste’ stickers are being added to all wheelie bins across the Borough. Swindon Borough Council says the aim is to discourage residents from putting leftover food in general rubbish.
The decision comes after a trial involving 1,800 homes in West Swindon earlier this year. The council reported an 11 per cent rise in the amount of food waste recycled across the test areas.
Officers have started placing the stickers on bins and expect the rollout to continue for several months.
Residents can recycle all cooked and uncooked food, including peelings, meat, fish, bread, dairy products and plate scrapings. Replacement caddies can be ordered through the council website.
Food waste collected in Swindon is sent to an anaerobic digestion facility. It is processed into green energy and fertiliser that is used to power homes and support farming.
Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said: “This is a small but powerful reminder that can make a real difference. The trial showed us that clear, visible prompts on bins encourage residents to think twice before throwing food away with general rubbish.
“By recycling more of our food waste we can all help reduce disposal costs, lower our carbon footprint and create renewable energy from waste. Every tonne of non-recycled household waste costs around £140 of Swindon residents’ money to dispose of.
“Every banana skin, crust of bread or tea bag that goes into your food caddy instead of the wheelie bin helps make a greener Swindon. The success of the trial shows what we can achieve when we all do our bit.”
More information is available at www.swindon.gov.uk/recycling
