The second phase of a new food waste collection scheme begins in Pembrokeshire on Monday (5th October).
Thousand of households across the County will be encouraged to separate out their food waste into specially designed bins in a bid to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste sent to landfill sites.
The first phase of the Pembrokeshire County Council initiative began in September and involved 6,000 homes. Around the same number of selected households are taking part in Phase Two.
The aim is to gradually roll it out across the County over the next 12 months.
Properties taking part have already received a kitchen caddy to collect unwanted food and scraps in the home, plus a larger food bin to be placed out with their weekly recycling collection. They have also been given a supply of compostable bags to go in the bins.
The food waste is collected in specially designed vehicles that also pick up orange recycling bags at the same time.
Cabinet Member for Environmental and Regulatory Services, Councillor Ken Rowlands, said the scheme helps Pembrokeshire meet its statutory targets and avoid the potential for significant fines – as well as help combat climate change.
“Some 6,000 tonnes of food waste is produced each year by Pembrokeshire households. Not only does the Authority incur a huge cost in landfill tax and disposal fees, food waste also produces a large amount of methane and other greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming” he explained.
“Under the scheme, food waste is taken to a composting plant where it is turned into a vital source of nutrients for agricultural use, which will have the added benefit of off-setting the use of artificial fertilizers.
“Our proposed scheme is easy to use and I would urge householders taking part in the second phase to carefully read the instruction booklet that comes with the kitchen caddy and food bin.”
