Food Waste and Climate Change

Did you know? ...

In the UK we waste a quarter of all the food and drink we buy! This is responsible for producing 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year (imagine 36 million standard sized water butts full of petrol on fire) which contributes towards climate change.

Food Waste Prevention

One of the best things we can do for the environment and our wallets is not waste our food and drink. An average family can save £1,000 a year by reducing their food waste.

Some top tips to reduce food waste include:

1. Planning ahead – by planning your meals and sticking to a shopping list you will avoid overbuying food and use up food you already have – remember to check what food you already have before going to the shops.

2. Know your dates – remember that a 'Best Before' date only refers to the quality of food, but most items are ok to eat after this date. 'Use By' dates refer to safety and food should not be eaten after this date.

3. Make the most of your food – correct storage of your food can extend its life by weeks (or months in a freezer), your fridge should be below 5oC and you can freeze any food right up to the 'use by' date – ideal if your plans change.

4. Perfect Portions - cook only what you need and if you do have any leftovers they can be stored in the fridge for another meal another day. You can take the guess work out of portion sizes by using the food portion calculator on the love food hate waste website.

The Love Food Hate Waste website has lots of great hacks and guidance for making the most of food at home and saving you money. See www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Food Waste Recycling

Any food that can't be used (for example tea bags, bones, plate scrapings etc) or does become wasted, should be placed into your food waste bin and put out for collection each week, on the same day as your other bins (currently unavailable to most flats but will be available to all by April 2026).

More and more people in West Northamptonshire are recycling their food waste when they see how easy it is. Visit www.westnorthants.gov.uk/foodwaste for more information or to order a free food waste bin.

Did you know?:

· recycling your food waste, rather than putting it in your rubbish bin, saves the council, and therefore you, around £100 per tonne – money which could be spent on other services.

· all food waste bins are provided free of charge (an indoor caddy and an outdoor bin) and are collected every week.

· you can use any bag to line your indoor kitchen caddy, including plastic.

· food waste caddy bags are now stocked at all WNC libraries and are just £1 a roll (30 bags).

· food waste is processed into green electricity and compost, which fertilises local farmers' fields

· reducing and recycling your food waste is one of the best ways to lower your carbon footprint and fight climate change.

For a FREE weekly reminder of which bin goes out when, and a comprehensive list of what can and cannot be recycled in West Northamptonshire, download the West Northamptonshire Council App – available on either Google Play or App