Bedford Borough Council’s new weekly food waste collection service has begun, with food waste kitchen caddies and outdoor food waste bins now delivered to households across the Borough. The service will make it easier for residents to recycle food waste separately, support the Council’s environmental commitments and comply with new national requirements for weekly food waste collections.
Every house with kerbside collection has now received a small kitchen caddy for use indoors, along with a larger outdoor food waste bin to place at the kerbside on collection day. Flats without individual kerbside collections have received a kitchen caddy and can recycle their food waste using new silver‑lidded communal food waste wheelie bins in their bin store or at a clearly signed external collection point nearby.
All food waste collected will be taken to Biogen’s specialist facilities, where it is used to generate renewable energy and produce fertiliser for local farms. Separating food waste helps reduce the amount of rubbish in black bins and supports wider climate and environmental objectives. The introduction of weekly food waste collections follows changes in national legislation requiring councils in England to provide this service.
The Council has also updated and optimised collection routes across rubbish, recycling, garden and food waste. Around 20 per cent of households now have a new collection day, and those affected will have received a letter explaining their updated schedule. All residents can check their bin day at any time and download their latest collection calendar by visiting www.bedford.gov.uk/bins - those who cannot access the internet can find support from the Bedford Borough Customer Services team.
Clear information has been provided through leaflets delivered with the caddies, online guidance and direct communications to those with changes to their collection day. Anyone who has not received their food waste kitchen caddy or outdoor food waste bin, or who has received a damaged item, should report this at www.bedford.gov.uk/RequestBins
Councillor Nicola Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said, “This new weekly food waste collection service is a significant step forward in how we manage waste in Bedford Borough. It means residents in houses and flats alike can recycle their food waste easily, helping us reduce what goes into black bins and turn unavoidable scraps into something useful for generating renewable energy and supporting agriculture.
“I want to thank residents for their support as we introduce this service, by using your kitchen caddy and food waste bin, you are playing a direct part in creating a cleaner, greener Borough for everyone.”
Further information about the new service can be found at www.bedford.gov.uk/FoodWaste