Somerset Council finds nearly half of binned food waste includes packaging

Concerningly, around 7,200 tonnes of this discarded food waste is being thrown away still in its packaging.

The council has highlighted that if every household recycled all their food waste, more than £1 million could be saved each year.

The findings were shared as Somerset Council partnered with its waste collections contractor, Suez recycling and recovery UK, to encourage residents to make the most of the food waste recycling service.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Executive Member for Transport and Waste Services, said: “Recycling food waste, is cleaner, greener and more convenient.

“You may think that you’re a recycler, but the average household throws about 56kg of food waste in their general rubbish bin every year. That’s the same as one kitchen caddy full every week.”

Food waste collected at the kerbside in Somerset is taken to an anaerobic digestion facility within the county, where it is processed for use as energy and fertiliser.

Matt Canning, Contract Director for Suez, said: “None of us likes to waste food that we have worked hard to provide for our families; but if we do have to throw it away, we want to encourage a more circular economy where we think of what we throw away as a commodity.”

Somerset Council and Suez open community project fund

Somerset Council and Suez have also launched the second year of the Waste Not Somerset fund, which provides grants to community groups across the county.

Funding between £5,000 and £10,000 is available for projects that reduce waste and promote reuse, support the expansion of existing initiatives, or replicate successful schemes in new areas.

Councillor Wilkins added: “We look forward to hearing from our communities. We welcome applications from organisations and groups looking to make a difference through innovative approaches.”