Your weekly food waste recycling service

Visit our online form to order your free food caddies

Food is one of our most precious resources, so we urge residents to buy what you need and eat what you buy, and to donate, compost or recycle what you can't use up.

For more information and some top tips on reducing your food waste please visit the Love Food Hate Waste website.

Since introducing the free weekly food waste collection service in September 2019, thousands of tonnes of food waste have been recycled to create energy for homes and fertiliser for farms.

Food recycling is great for our environment, collected weekly and makes more room in your red top bin! it is so easy to use too, if you are new to the service you can request a set of caddies for free by visiting our online form to request a food waste caddy.

Food waste is collected weekly on the same day as your normal recycling and rubbish collections, just pop your caddy in front of your other containers by 7am so that the crews can see it and it will go to be recycled into gas for powering homes and fertiliser for farming.

For more information please download our food waste services leaflet (.pdf Size: 8624Kb)

How to use the caddies

  • You can line your food waste caddy with newspaper, kitchen roll, nothing at all or you can purchase compostable caddy liners which are widely available in supermarkets and discount shops. 
  • If you use a shared outdoor food waste silver top wheelie bin (e.g. if you live in flats), you can order replacement liners online, please select the property type option on the form called 'flats'.
  • When your kitchen caddy is full, transfer the contents into your outdoor caddy.
  • Alternatively, if you don't have space for a kitchen caddy or prefer not to use one, you can opt to transfer your food waste directly to your outside caddy.
  • Put your outside caddy out weekly with your other containers on your scheduled collection day - all containers need to be out by 7am. Please note that food waste is collected by a different crew/wagon to your other waste/recycling collections, so please ensure your caddy is presented so it is easy for the crew to spot.
  • If you already receive an assisted collection service, please leave your outdoor caddy with your other recycling and rubbish containers for collection as normal.
  • Below is a list of what can/can't be recycled in your food caddy. If your caddy contains the wrong things, the crew will not be able to collect it. If this is the case, they will leave a hanger on your caddy to explain the problem and what you need to do.

What can you put in your caddy?

Yes please

  • Food cooked and uncooked.
  • Cheese.
  • Eggs and egg shells.
  • Bones.
  • Meat and fish.
  • Fruit and vegetable.
  • Bread and pastries.
  • Tea (bagged or loose) and coffee grounds.
  • Coffee filters.
  • Mouldy or out of date food.
  • Sauce's (i.e. packet/jar/condiments).
  • Pet food.
  • All uneaten food including plate scrapings.

No thanks

  • Liquids (i.e. squash, fizzy pop, orange juice, milk).
  • Oils and fats.
  • Plastic bags.
  • Nappies.
  • Packaging of any sort.
  • Plastic wrapping/cling film
  • Animal bedding.
  • Animal waste/faeces.
  • Cardboard and paper (please note: you can use a small amount of paper to line your caddy).
  • Vegware.

Last updated : 16 July 2024

Let's get your food waste recycled!

Are you taking part in the free weekly food waste collection service? If not, why not! did you know that you can recycle every kind of food in your caddies, this includes pet food, mouldy food, bones, banana skins and egg shells?

The myths busted!

  • I don't have much food waste?
    • We will collect any amount no matter how small, like peelings, tea bags, coffee grinds, bones and pet food, just pop your caddy out every week on your schedule collection day and leave the rest to us!
  • I don't like the idea of storing my food waste in the caddy?
    • Let's not forget, the food waste will be sat for two weeks in the red top bin, so why not take advantage of the food recycling service which is collected weekly and remember, it saves room in your red top bin too!
  • What about attracting animals?
    • Did you know your outside caddy has a lockable lid? Just push the handle into the upright position and the lid will be secure. As long as all the food waste is contained inside this should not be an issue.
    • If your caddy lid cannot be closed or is damaged in any other way, you can order a replacement for free, this includes both the inside and outside caddies.
    • If you are still concerned, try storing your food caddy on top on your wheelie bins so they are out of the way.
  • How do I keep my caddy clean?
    • Much like your other recycling containers, our bins need a little TLC, some residents use a variety of methods, from lining the caddies with newspaper or using a compostable caddy liner to nothing at all, if you are able to, giving the caddies a quick rinse after your collection this will also help.
  • What about smells!
    • Some food waste can smell but we still need to get rid of it. Whether it's in the red top bin or the food caddy, so why not take advantage of having this collected every week on the food waste recycling collection service.
    • Keeping your caddy stored out of direct sunlight will also help to minimise any smells.

Last updated : 28 June 2024

Why introduce a food waste collection service?

Recycling is one of the best ways we can have a positive impact on our planet which is why there is a nationwide drive to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Expanding the recycling collection service to include food waste means that residents can recycle even more.

View more information about the current recycling rates in Telford and Wrekin and your kerbside collection service.

Why should I recycle my food waste?

An estimated 10 million tonnes of food waste in the UK goes to landfill every year. By collecting food waste separately we can produce both energy to power homes and a rich fertiliser for farming. Recycling food waste benefits the planet and saves the Council money that can be used to protect other frontline services.

How big are the caddies?

Your outdoor caddy is 23 Litres (Width 32cm, Depth 40cm, Height 41cm) it is lockable and can be stored outside. The indoor kitchen caddy is 7 Litres (Width 26cm, Depth 23cm, Height 24cm).

Managing your caddies

Always shut the lid of your kitchen caddy and transfer waste to the outside caddy regularly. If the food is off, smelly or high risk (e.g. raw meat) you can wrap it newspaper, kitchen roll or junk mail and take it straight to your outdoor caddy, which has a lockable lid. Put your outside caddy out for collection every week, no matter how small the amount.

Download our 'Food waste service FAQs' document (.pdf Size: 391Kb)

Last updated : 25 September 2024

Communal weekly food waste recycling information

Each household receives a kitchen caddy for their food waste. Each communal area will have a silver top wheelie bin in which to place food waste from their kitchen caddy, there is a small lid covering the hatch where you can deposit your food waste, this ensures no flies can get inside the food wheelie bin and helps contain any smell. The silver top wheelie bin will be emptied weekly and returned to the communal area.

If you need more compostable liners or replacement kitchen caddies, you can order these online, using the link below. You will need to select 'Flat' as your property type from the list and the option to request replacement liners will then appear.

Plastic bags cannot be used as caddy liners or to transport your food waste.

Please ensure all food waste is placed inside the silver top wheelie bin and no bagged food waste is left outside the bin.

How to use the food waste containers

  • Line your kitchen caddy with the compostable bag supplied or you can use kitchen towels/newspaper.
  • When your kitchen caddy is full, transfer the contents into the outside communal silver top wheelie bin.
    • We would recommend that you don't overfill your kitchen caddy liners as you may struggle to fit them into the hatch on the silver top wheelie bin.
  • If you don't have space to store your indoor caddy, you can put your food waste directly into the silver top wheelie bin, please do not put food waste in plastic bags.
  • When you need more compostable bags you can order more online using the link below.

View information about how to request replacement kitchen caddy liners

Complete our online form to request replacement liners or a food waste caddy

Last updated : 16 July 2024