The move follows a trial subsidised by WRAP and the London Development Agency, in which Bexley collected 25 tonnes of food from 75 businesses since February.
Councillor Gareth Bacon, Bexley's Cabinet Member for the Environment said: “We're really pleased that our service has had such a positive response from SMEs in the area who told us they wanted to recycle more but lacked the appropriate infrastructure.
“Most businesses have said that now they've started to recycle they intend to continue, which is great news for Bexley Council and for the environment,” he added.
Bins
Under Bexley's food waste service, business customers are provided with a kitchen caddy and either a 240 litre wheeled bin or two 140 litre wheeled bins. These are then emptied alongside householder bins by the council-owned firm Bexley Trading Services.
The food is then composted by County Mulch, which has an in-vessel composting site fully compliant with Animal By-Product Regulations in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
The service cost £126 a year under the WRAP trial due to a 25% subsidy, however it will now cost the normal price of £173 a year. However, Bexley council's waste and recycling projects manager Mark Jam told letsrecycle.com that there would still be an incentive to join as this was still cheaper than landfill.
He said: “If food goes to refuse it costs £208 a tonne and from next year with the increase in landfill tax it will be even more expensive, so it makes both environmental and economic sense to join the service. We are also hoping it will help businesses comply with the pre-treatment of waste to landfill regulations which come in in October this year.”
The service has been designed to help smaller businesses who did not generate enough waste for many commercial waste collection contracts.
Liz Morrish, WRAP's SME Recycling Programme Manager, said: “Because of the nature and size of their businesses, SMEs need schemes that are easy to set up and implement, cost effective, save space and create tidier workplaces.The success of the new service clearly shows that people want to recycle at work and find a viable alternative to sending their food waste to landfill.”
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