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Food waste

Find out how to use your kitchen caddy and food bin, what we do and don't collect, and what we do with your food waste.

We collect your food waste every week. Find out when your next collection day is using our collection day finder.

WarningIf you live in a flat, you may have a communal food waste bin next to your recycling bins. Empty your kitchen caddy into this bin.

Using your kitchen caddy and food bin

Take note of the following guidelines for using your smaller kitchen caddy (5 litres) and larger food bin (23 litres).

  • line your kitchen caddy with a plastic carrier bag, compostable liner or newspaper (no black bags or bags for life)
  • ensure food waste is not loose inside your food waste bin or caddy
  • empty your kitchen caddy into your larger food bin outside before it gets too full, if you have one (if using newspaper to line your kitchen caddy, wrap up your food when you empty it into your food bin outside, so it doesn't get stuck when we collect it)
  • lock your kitchen caddy or food bin by pulling the handle forward to keep out animals
  • rinse your caddy and bin regularly.

Food waste we do and don't collect

Yes, please

For a complete list of food items we collect, please see our recycling A-Z page.

No, thanks

We don't collect any of the following items in your food waste:

  • Packaging
  • Liquids
  • Oil (large quantities)
  • Fat
  • Cutlery or plates

What happens to your food waste

Your food waste is taken to Codford Biogas in Wiltshire where it is processed via anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, used for electricity digestion, and nutrient-rich fertiliser. If every home in Bath and North East Somerset recycled its food waste, it would create enough electricity to power 1140 homes for a year. You can watch this video, produced in partnership with our previous food waste contractor GENeco, to find out more.