111 tonnes of food waste collected in first week in Bracknell Forest

The impressive haul came from around 41,000 caddies and totalled 111.3 tonnes -- the same average weight as a blue whale!

This means each household contributed roughly 2.7 kilograms of food waste.

The collections, which started as a new council service on Monday, March 1, will enable food waste to be diverted away from landfill and will be used to generate electricity and fertilise crops.

Cllr Mrs Dorothy Hayes, BFC’s environment chief, said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all our residents who have taken part in the food waste recycling service so far.

READ MORE: What can I put in my bins in Bracknell?

“Your enthusiasm and care have been outstanding, and we are so pleased to be taking the next step to better recycling in our borough.

“It was also wonderful to see the new food waste collection vehicles on the roads, with their creative names chosen by you.

Food waste bins will be collected around the borough starting in October

“If you haven’t started using your food waste caddies yet, there is still time. No matter how small, every bit matters and will make a difference.”

The service was introduced alongside changes to the borough’s green bin collections.

To offset the cost of the food waste service, green bin collections were pushed back from every two weeks to every three weeks.

READ MORE: When will flats get food waste bins in Bracknell Forest?

Several residents raised concerns about this change, with thousands signing a petition to scrap the change following worries about smelly bins.

One resident got in touch with the News to raise concerns about the results of a freedom of information investigation they had undertaken relating to the council’s decision to make green bin collections less frequent.

It found:

• There were no environmental impact assessments available relating to the reduction in the frequency of green bin collections

• There was no correspondence available to show between the Chief Executive and other parties within the council relating to the change

• There was no correspondence available to show between BFC and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the green bin issue

• There was no correspondence available to show between the council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to the issue

In response to the revelations, Cllr Hayes said: “Waste collection methods and frequencies are managed and controlled by individual local authorities and as such there has been no requirement to engage with central government.

Food waste bins are coming to Bracknell Forest in October

“The council’s senior leadership team has been fully engaged and supportive of the changes from the outset and were present at meetings throughout the decision making process.

“Bracknell Forest Council is committed to tackling the international climate change crisis across its services.

READ MORE: Dame Judi Dench reacts to move to name food waste truck after her

“One of these steps is to encourage and enable more recycling.

“The introduction of a weekly food waste collection and the reduction of refuse collections to every three weeks, is an important step towards reducing the borough’s environmental impact.

“We currently landfill 7,800 tonnes a year, however by making these changes we aim to reduce that number by 50 per cent.

“The results from surveys independently undertaken show there is sufficient capacity in green bins, once food and other recyclable materials are removed, to enable a move to three-weekly refuse collections.

“The environmental impacts of making these changes were reviewed and are available as part of the public Executive decision reports.”