Skip to content

All city homes to get food waste bins by end of year

David HumphreysLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLiverpool City Council A small grey plastic bin with Liverpool City Council written on it stands next to taller blue and purple binsLiverpool City Council
More than 100,000 Liverpool households have already received food waste caddies as part of the city's recycling drive

Liverpool City Council has confirmed all homes across the city will have received a food waste bin by the end of the year.

More than 100,000 households have already received the bins, with about 100 tonnes of food waste being collected each week, the authority said.

The next phase of the roll-out will start from 26 October.

Each household is provided with two food waste bins or "caddies", a smaller container for use inside the home and a larger one to be stored alongside existing purple, blue and green bins.

It is part of the government's Simpler Recycling reforms, which require all councils in England to collect food waste separately.

Officials told Liverpool City Council's sustainable, safe and thriving neighbourhoods committee that six phases of the rollout had now been completed, reaching about 105,000 homes.

Helen Cunningham, Streetscene operations manager, said 59% of households that had received the new caddies were taking part in the scheme, above the national average.

She said they were "seeing excellent residential behaviours" which was supporting the roll-out.

Communal bins upgrade

A further 22,500 households are set to receive the service from 26 October.

The council expects 150,000 properties to have received the new bins by the end of the year.

Households have been contacted with instructions how to use the services, and council officers have been going out to homes to help residents adapt.

It is part of wider efforts to improve recycling rates in Liverpool after the city was recently reported to have the second-lowest recycling rate in the UK, while proposals are also being considered for an 80,000-tonne food waste processing plant within the Liverpool City Region.

Meanwhile, communal bin sites across Liverpool are set for an upgrade aimed at improving their appearance, increasing recycling and reducing fly-tipping.

This would include dedicated enclosures or housing units for the communal bins.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.