Rewards boost for residents using food caddies

Residents are set to get even more Recyclebank rewards, thanks to the extension of the valuable points scheme to the Royal Borough's food waste collection service.

Food caddies were delivered to houses last autumn and now more than 40% are helping to reduce the amount of waste sent to expensive and environmentally unfriendly landfill sites by putting out their food scraps and leftovers for weekly collection.

With the caddies about to be provided to flats so that every home in the borough can take part, there is soon to be even more good news with Recyclebank points covering food waste - meaning even more valuable offers and discounts in both national and local shops, buinesses and leisure centres.

The proposal, to be discussed by cabinet on Thursday 21 February, is the result of a £566,000 government grant to the council in recognition of its commitment to maintaining weekly waste collections.

Cllr Carwyn Cox, cabinet member for environmental services, explained: "This is a great opportunity to expand our very popular Recyclebank scheme so that residents can reap even more rewards for their good green habits.

"We currently recycle and compost 49% of our waste and this grant will be a huge help in raising that figure even higher, which is good news for our residents and the environment alike."

If cabinet gives the go-ahead, the recycling rewards for food waste is expected to get under way in April.

Food makes up more than a third of the waste sent to landfill so the borough's caddies provide a convenient way of reducing this. All food waste - including vegetable peelings, meat, bones and dairy - can be put in the caddies, which are emptied with the normal weekly waste and recycling collections.

Households have been provided with a 23-litre caddy to go outside and a 7-litre caddy for use in the kitchen. The waste is taken to a digester plant to be turned into fertiliser.

Further details at http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/wm_food_waste.htm or by calling 01628 683801.

How do you rate this information/service?