It’s inevitable that we will all buy more food over Christmas than any other time of year – but Gwynedd Council’s Waste Management Team are urging people not to allow the season of giving to become the season of waste.
By making small changes and planning ahead we can all significantly reduce how much food we waste. Try making a shopping list, taking into consideration how many people you’re feeding over the festivities, and stick to it – it can make a world of difference to how much, or little, food and cash we waste.
Also, make the most of the food you buy. If you have food leftover put it in the fridge or freezer to be eaten later. Or you can make new meals with leftover meat and vegetables such as soup, stocks, curry, burgers, pies and the Boxing Day favourite of bubble and squeak.
If you have any leftover food that cannot be used, such as the old turkey carcass, remember to dispose of it in the brown bin. Most homes in Gwynedd receive the brown bin service which means that food waste is sent to be composted. The Council has recently held two open days where free compost is given back to the people of Gwynedd, further events will be held in the spring across the county.
Councillor Gareth Roberts, Gwynedd Council’s Environment Portfolio Leader, said:
“In the UK we throw away around 8.3 million tonnes of food every year, and I’m sure most people throw away even more over Christmas.
“I would urge the people of Gwynedd to try to reduce how much they waste – it will save everyone money and reduce the carbon impact on the environment. I would also urge people to use their brown bin for any food which cannot be eaten.”
After Christmas, don’t forget to put your old Christmas cards in the blue recycling box with all your other recyclable materials. Your real Christmas tree can also go in the big brown bin, or take it to one of the Council’s recycling centres, and it will be turned into compost too.
All Gwynedd homes receive regular rubbish, recycling and compost collection service. For more information about all Gwynedd Council’s waste and recycling services, including organising for a bulky waste collection, contact the Council’s Waste and Recycling Helpdesk on 01766 771000 or visit www.gwynedd.gov.uk/recycling
