A new kitchen waste recycling programme that has been run as a pilot in Leeds has helped cut down on landfill dumping by up to 40 per cent.
Under the new scheme, residents have begun to save food waste like leftovers and peelings for weekly run collections by the local authority. The waste is then used for composting, which in turn can be used as fertiliser to grow more food. The trial first was introduced by Leeds City Council in Rothwell.
Around 8,500 householders were given two plastic container buckets as well as a roll of starch bags, which are able to organically break down as food composts. One bucket, kept in the kitchen, is lined with a bag and used for indoor food waste. Then a larger outdoor bucket is used for the weekly collection.
A Leeds City Council spokesman said that in only 12 weeks the district has decreased the amount of residual waste by 6.25kg per home each week. Across Leeds the average household puts out roughly 10 kg of waste per week. The Rothwell food rubbish collection keeps food waste from simply being left on the ground to rot, the spokesman added.
Since the introduction of the scheme, recycling in Rothwell has gone up more than 50 per cent. To date, 227 tonnes of food waste have been collected from Rothwell householders. The trial will last six months and around 8,500 households are being included. If successful, the scheme could be extended to all of Leeds.
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