AS part of International Compost Week, Derry City and Strabane Districft Council is giving away free bagged compost to local people as a thank you for recycling.
This compost is made from food and garden waste that you have recycled and is available at all of our recycling centres from Mon 7th – Sat 12th May 2018 on a first come, first served basis.
A council spokesperson said: ”People in Derry City and Strabane can pick up free compost at local Recycling Centres for one week from this Bank Holiday Monday as a result of Council’s food waste recycling drive.
“The compost, which has been created from the food waste collected in residents’ brown bin caddies and garden waste, is a high quality product suitable for a wide range of garden uses.
“Since we introduced food waste caddies in 2015, almost 24,000 tonnes of food and garden waste has been diverted from landfill and recycled into compost.”
The scheme is running in conjunction with International Compost Awareness Week which runs from 7-13 May 2018.
The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Maoliosa McHugh is urging everyone to take advantage of the District’s free compost giveaway. He said:
“I’d like to commend the people of Derry City and Strabane for embracing their brown bins and making the effort to recycle food in their caddies.
“It costs twice as much to send food to landfill as it does to recycle it so the switch from black to brown is saving ratepayers’ money as well as helping our environment.
“I urge local people to avail of this fantastic free compost scheme by visiting their nearest Recycling Centre and picking up a bag for gardening this Spring.”
Waste Services Manager, Nicola McCool added: “This initiative is the perfect example of our local circular economy in action and underlines the very real benefits to people of disposing of food waste in their brown bin.
“Unwanted food that ends up in landfill is the most polluting type of waste due to the release of harmful gases.
“Brown is the New Black in Derry City and Strabane and recycling is a complete win-win for all of us.”
People can continue to do their bit to reduce food waste by re-thinking shopping habits, creating shopping lists, planning meals and using the freezer more effectively.
Any food waste can be put into your kitchen caddy and then dropped at the kerbside in your brown bin for collection by Council’s bin crews.
Free bagged compost will be available from all Council Recycling Centres from today, Monday, May 7, 2018, for one week only>
It is a first come, first served basis with a maximum of one bag per household.
For further information on waste and recycling in the Council visit www.derrystrabane.com/recycling or download the Bin-Ovation app.
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