Food waste bag trial rolled out to homes in Buxton

A food waste recycling scheme in the High Peak is being rolled out to households in Buxton.
The trial is being rolled out to 7,000 homes in Buxton.The trial is being rolled out to 7,000 homes in Buxton.
The trial is being rolled out to 7,000 homes in Buxton.

The scheme involves giving free compostable food bags to households to encourage them to separate cooked and raw food waste from their general waste and place it in their green-lidded bin.

A trial involving 7,000 households in Glossop last year resulted in more than three tonnes of food waste per week being turned into compost and used as a soil improver instead of being sent to landfill or a waste treatment facility.

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The trial will be continued for a further 12 months in Glossop and it is being extended to include 7,000 households in Buxton.

Coun Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said: “It’s really encouraging that this scheme has worked so well in Glossop and we’re able to extend it to Buxton.

“Separating food waste for composting is good news for the environment and will help reduce the £7.5m cost per year to Derbyshire council tax-payers in waste disposal fees.”

The compostable corn starch bags are being delivered to the 14,000 households during October. They provide a convenient way to get rid of unwanted food scraps and leftovers.

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Once the bags are full people can pop them into their green-lidded bin ready for recycling.

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Each year in Derbyshire, residents throw more than 57,000 tonnes of food waste in their non-recycling bins costing Derbyshire council tax-payers more than £7.5m per year in disposal costs.

Residents can put tea bags, coffee grounds and fruit and vegetable peelings into their compostable food bags as they cook, and when they’ve eaten simply scrape any unwanted scraps and leftovers in there too.

High Peak borough councillor Emily Thrane added: “Recycling food waste saves everyone money so it’s good news that this scheme is going to continue in Glossop and be expanded to Buxton.”