What goes in which bin

There is weekly separate food waste collection. This allows us to make use of your food waste, turning it into energy and fertilizer.

If you haven't received a food caddy contact us.

Present your food caddy on your usual collection day by 6.30am.

All food waste must be in your green caddy with the lid closed. The lid is lockable, so you don't need to worry about spillages or attracting pests.

What goes in the food caddy

You can use your caddy to for all raw and cooked food waste, including pet food, bones and tea bags.
 

I don't have a small kitchen caddy; will you provide me with one?

We won't be providing kitchen caddies. If you don't have one, they , are widely available to purchase.

What can I line my kitchen caddy with?

Please line it with newspaper, food caddy liners, or reuse a plastic bag, such as bags from bread, salad or cereal. These are removed from the food waste during the recycling process. The only thing you can't use is black bags.

Why can't I use black sacks?

It is difficult for our collection contractors and the treatment facility to tell if it is food waste inside a black bag. Any food waste put out in black bags may not be collected or treated at the facility, so please use liners and bags as advised above.

Can I put food grown in my garden into my food waste caddy?

Fruit and veg grown in a garden is classed as garden waste and can go in your brown bin, however anything you bring inside to the kitchen becomes food waste and should go into your food waste caddy.

I live in a flat; will I receive a caddy?

If you live in a flat you won't receive a new caddy at this time. We are hoping to introduce food waste collections to some flats in the future.

Do I need to use this service if I compost my food waste at home?

Whilst you can compost at home, a significant amount of food waste, including items such as meat, fish and dairy, should not be composted at home.

I have already subscribed to the garden waste service; can I continue to put my food in the brown bin?

We encourage you to use your new caddy for your food waste. This will also mean you have more space in your brown bin for your garden waste.

Can I receive an assisted collection for my separate food waste?

Yes. If you already receive an assisted collection, this service will be extended for your separate food waste collection.

The caddy is not big enough for all the food waste we produce; what should I do?

The caddy has a capacity of 23L and can fit 4-5 bags of food waste per week. This bin will also be emptied weekly.

If you find that you are producing more food waste than can fit into your weekly food waste collection, please follow us @HertsWasteAware for hints and tips.

I am worried about odour and pests. How can I keep my caddy clean?

All food waste must be in your green caddy with the lid closed. The lid is lockable, so you don't need to worry about spillages or attracting pests.

We also recommend that food is wrapped as per the guidance above. You may also want to wash your caddy from time to time to minimise odour and recommend that you regularly move the contents from your kitchen caddy into the larger 23l caddy on a regular basis.

What do I do if my caddy isn't collected?

We will be starting collections from Monday 2 November. If your food waste caddy is missed, please inform us as soon as possible. Report a missed bin.

Will there be a charge for food waste collection?

No, there will be no charge to residents.

If food waste and general waste collection is free, why do I have to pay for garden waste?

Local councils are able to charge for the collection of garden waste. The charge offsets some of the costs in delivering this service for residents.

What are the benefits of recycling food waste?

Food waste fills up over a third of a household waste bin. Most of it ends up in landfill sites where it releases methane, a damaging greenhouse gas.

The best thing we can all do for the environment (and our pockets!) is to enjoy our food and throw as little away as possible. Food waste from your new caddy will be recycled locally. The biogas produced is used to heat and power homes and communities.

Recycling just one lorry load of food waste generates enough energy to power 20,000 TVs for an hour. The rich fertiliser leftover from this process is used for farming. Our Hertfordshire recycling plant saves the carbon equivalent of taking 80,000 cars off the road.