Inverness food waste caddy deliveries to begin next week

Households in the Inverness city area, including Balloch, Culloden, Smithton & Milton of Leys, will soon be able to recycle their all food waste using a new weekly collection service being introduced by The Highland Council. Deliveries of new food waste caddies will start next week and last a fortnight. Householders will receive a 23 litre outdoor caddy, a 5 litre kitchen caddy, a supply of compostable liners and full instructions on how to us the new service.

By introducing food waste collections, The Highland Council is meeting its obligations set by the Scottish Government under the Zero Waste (Scotland) Regulations which requires all local authorities to collect food waste separately from other household waste in ‘non-rural’ areas. Inverness is the only area in The Highlands affected and householders will benefit from the service which is clean and easy to use. 

All types of food will be collected by the new service including fruit and vegetables, bread, dairy products, fish and meat (including bones), bread, rice and pasta, eggshells, tea bags and coffee grinds.  The food waste will be processed to produce a nutrient rich agricultural fertilizer.

Chairman of the TEC Services Committee, Councillor Graham Phillips, said: “Removing food from general waste diverts a valuable resource away from landfill and also reduces methane emissions, which contribute to climate change. Furthermore, householders will find that their refuse bins will be cleaner, less smelly and less full.”

The Waste Awareness Team is holding a number of roadshows at supermarkets in the area where they will be available to answer any questions and concerns about the new collections.

There will be a staggered introduction of the new service with the first collections starting on 23rd September and the remaining areas starting on 30th September.  After this, all households will have their food waste collected every week.

The service will be extended to flatted properties in the Inverness area later in the year.

Further information about the service is available by contacting The Waste Awareness Team on 01349 886603 or emailing recycle@highland.gov.uk or by visiting http://www.highland.gov.uk/recycle.htm.