New technology allows residents to dispose food waste in plastic bags

Three Rivers residents will now be able to dispose of their food waste in plastic bags. This change has been made possible following the adoption of new technology that can accept food waste wrapped in plastic bags as well as compostable liners or newspaper. Retail packing should be removed before disposing of your food waste; for example, bacon should be taken out of its plastic packet.

Black bags will not be accepted, but residents may now use any other plastic bag to line their food pod, as an alternative to corn starch bags or newspaper. We suggest people use whatever plastic bags they have to hand, such as cereal, bread or fruit and veg bags.

Councillor Phil Brading, Lead Member for Public Services, said: “We are asking all residents to recycle their food waste and stop putting it in their general refuse bin. Many people are already using their food pods. We hope that the option of using a plastic bag as a liner will encourage those who have been reluctant until now. Food waste that is not recycled just ends up in landfill, producing more greenhouse gas and polluting the environment.

“Councillors recently visited the anaerobic digestion (AD) plant where waste food is turned into fertiliser whilst producing gas to generate 2.4MW of electricity for the National Grid, enough to power over 4,500 homes. During the visit we saw first-hand how the plastic bags are removed during the process, so the quality of the fertiliser produced remains high. We are pleased that the facility will now offer the flexibility to accept deliveries of food waste from Three Rivers which is wrapped in plastic bags.”

Note: Three Rivers District Council will still accept loose food in the pods - it does not have to be wrapped at all - and still accept corn starch liners and newspaper. Plastic food pots, tubs or trays should not be placed in the food pod. Please continue to recycle these in your green-lidded recycling bin.