HOUSEHOLDERS in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area who have a food caddy bin are advised that they must use the scheme, as from May 2017 they will no longer be able to deposit any food waste in their black/grey bin.
From Monday 20th March, a sticker will be placed on black/grey bins informing residents that no food waste can be disposed of in these bins.
From early May Council crews will begin inspecting black/grey bins for the presence of food waste, and any bins that contain food waste will not be collected.
Council is seeking to ensure that all food waste is deposited in the food caddy bins that have been provided to over 30,000 residents across the Council area.
The full roll-out of the food caddy bin scheme is currently ongoing and it is anticipated that the remaining 20,000 households across the Council area will have their food caddy bins by the autumn of 2017.
Conor Canning, Head of Environment with Derry City and Strabane District Council, explained that this measure will assist Council in improving recycling and composting rates, reduce costs and help Council provide householders with better services.
He said that Council has to date supplied over 30,000 householders with the food caddy bins with an additional 20,000 expected to be rolled out over the coming months.
He said refuse collection staff will begin inspections from early May and that bins found with food waste within may not be emptied in an effort to encourage more people to use the food caddy.
The implementation of this coincides with the Council’s ongoing initiative to reduce the amount of contaminated waste in the blue bins.
The spokesperson, highlighting the importance of recycling properly, stressed that everyone has a duty to recycle and to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill considering the fact that it costs £45 per tonne to recycle food waste, £76 per tonne to recycle compared to £105 per tonne to go to landfill.
He said those savings can then be reinvested into new Council services and investment in the Council area.
Encouraging those members of the public who have food caddy bins to use them, Cllr Colly Kelly, Chairman of the Environment and Regeneration Committee, said by using the food waste caddy it can help reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfill sites.
“If you have a food caddy bin, please make sure to use it and have it out for collection in a visible location by 7.30am on your collection day.
“Among the items you can dispose of in your food caddy bin are cooked and raw meat; fish; fruit and vegetables; all dairy products including cheese and yoghurt; eggs, bread, cakes and pastries; rice, pasta and beans; uneaten food from your plates or dishes; tea bags and coffee grounds.
“You are reminded not to put any packaging, plastic bags, liquids, oil or liquid fat in your caddy,” he said.
Members of the public who have mislaid their food caddy bin or who want to find out when their area is to be included on the scheme, are asked to contact – [email protected] or telephone 02871374107
Further information on recycling can be obtained at derrystrabane.com/foodwaste
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