Weekly food waste collections

Are you ready? 

We are now rolling out separate weekly food waste recycling collections, across the borough. We are starting rolling out the food waste service to kerbside properties in September 2024 in two phases. 

If you live in Leyton or Leytonstone, you may already be receiving your weekly food collection if you were part of our pilot. Things should not change for you, please keep using your weekly food collections. For more information please click here 

Kerbside households in the south of the borough that have E10, E11, E15 postcodes alongside some E17 postcodes have already started to receive their equipment for the upcoming weekly food waste collection service and collections of the outdoor food waste bin start on the week commencing 23 September 2024.

Kerbside households in the north of the borough that have E4, IG8 and some E17 postcodes will start to receive equipment from 23 September 2024 with collections of the outdoor food waste to start the week beginning 14 October 2024. 

We have now rolled out the food waste service to 35% of communal properties in the borough. When your block is to receive a food waste collection service; properties will receive a 5 litre kitchen caddy, a roll of compostable liners and a letter about the service. There will be an external grey food waste unit placed in the communal bin area.

How do I use my food waste caddy?

Line your indoor caddy with a liner and you can start using it to recycle your food waste. Once full, or ready to be taken out, tie a knot in your bag and take it to your outdoor caddy (kerbside properties) or communal food waste bin (communal properties).

I'd like more information on food recycling collections. 

Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP) has put together a report on household food waste collections that have been carried out across the UK. The report states the majority of households produce large quantities of waste food which predominantly ends up in the refuse bin. The type of collection (food and garden waste or food waste only collection) and the frequency of a collection (weekly or fortnightly) have an influence on the amount of food waste collected by a local authority.

Read the Food and Waste Collections Guide on the WRAP website.

Why are we rolling out new food recycling collections? 

By March 2026 all Councils must collect food waste separately from residential properties. It is also part of the Council’s Mission to become a net zero borough. Approximately 26% of the waste in the average household bin is food waste, which generates harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Your food waste will be sent to a plant where it will create Biogas (a renewable energy source) and fertiliser to be used on farmland to grow more food. 

A recent analysis of resident’s waste showed us that there is 33% organic material in resident’s refuse bins which could be separated out to be recycled. If all residents recycled their food waste, this would make a big contribution to tackling the climate emergency.

What equipment will I receive so I can use the service? 

Dependent on whether you live in a kerbside or communal flat property will determine what you receive. 

Kerbside property; will receive 23 litre outdoor lockable food waste bin, a 5 litre indoor kitchen caddy and a roll of compostable liners to line the caddy with. A leaflet explaining the service will also be delivered.

Communal flat property; will receive 5 litre indoor kitchen caddy and a roll of compostable liners to line the caddy with. Your communal bin area will also receive a large grey food external waste bin, where you can put your food recycling into. A letter about the service will also be sent.

Will the outdoor food waste bin or the external grey food waste unit attract vermin?

No they won’t, as there is a handle on the outdoor food waste that will ensure that the bin is secured closed so that vermin cannot get in and the grey communal food waste unit is fully enclosed and the lid to the unit is self-closing.

What if I have received equipment that is damaged or I haven’t received all my equipment? 

We would be sorry to hear this but let us know what is damaged or missing by emailing wasteteam@walthamforest.gov.uk ensuring to include your full address in your request so we can sort this out as soon as possible for you.

What can I put in the kitchen caddy and therefore the outdoor food waste bin and external grey communal food waste unit?

You can place any uneaten or unwanted food inside the kitchen caddy such as:

• bread and cakes
• dairy products (such as cheese and yoghurt)
• eggs and egg shells
• fruit and vegetable peelings
• pasta and rice
• meat and fish (cooked/uncooked, including bones)
• out-of-date food
• tea bags and coffee granules

Is there anything I shouldn't put in the kitchen caddy, outdoor food waste bin and external grey communal food waste unit?

• Any food or drink packaging
• Flowers
• Any liquids

Incorrect items placed in the outdoor food waste bin or the external grey communal food waste unit will result in the bin not being emptied on the scheduled bin collection day.

When will the outdoor food waste bin be collected?

For kerbside properties the outdoor food waste bin will be collected every week on the same day that the refuse and recycling two wheeled bins are collected but by a different collection crew. Please ensure the outdoor food waste bin is presented for collection by the front boundary of your property beside the two wheeled bins.

Communal properties will be scheduled for a food waste collection when the service is rolled out to each block. Residents can find out the bin collections days: www.walthamforest.gov.uk/findmycollectionday.

Are you changing the bin collection days for the other kerbside bins?

We are committed to making it easy for everyone to recycle as much as possible and minimise the amount of waste going to the refuse bin. With the introduction of separate food waste collections, over 85 per cent of all household waste generated (tins, bottles, cardboard, food, etc.) can be recycled or composted.

We will be reducing our black bin collections to fortnightly in 2025, for kerbside properties only, which will help to increase recycling and decrease waste. By using your weekly food waste recycling collections properly and fully, you will be able to decrease the amount of waste that ends up in the black bin.

The majority of Councils now collect black bin waste fortnightly. We are keeping weekly recycling bin (green two wheeled bin) collections.

What do I do if the outdoor food waste bin has been not collected?

You can report a missed food waste collection to the Council online. If there is a reason for non-collection of your food waste bin; you can find this reason online. Please report missed food waste collections to the Council within three days of the scheduled bin collection here.

Do I need to use liners in the kitchen caddy?

Liners help to keep kitchen caddies cleaner and reduce any odours. However, you do not need to use them for us to collect your food waste.

If you wish to use compostable liners please ensure they have the composting seedling logo on them – see below:

Can I still recycle garden waste using the two wheeled brown bin once the weekly food waste collections have commenced?

You can still recycle garden waste in your standard or large brown garden waste two wheeled bin. Please place any food waste in the outdoor food waste bin.

Can I put garden waste in the outdoor food waste bin or the external grey food waste unit?

No, you can’t. Please only place food waste in the food waste bins. Any garden waste in the food waste bins may result in the bins not being emptied by the collection crew.

Can I still put food waste in the brown two wheeled bin once the weekly food waste collections have commenced?

No, please do not put food waste in the garden waste brown two wheeled bin. Food waste and garden waste are dealt with and processed in very different ways and will no longer be accepted by the recycling facilities if they are combined. 

What should I do with my garden waste if I live in a kerbside property once the weekly food waste collections commence?

Continue to use the brown two wheeled bin to place your garden waste inside of it to ensure it is composted. This will continue to be collected fortnightly basis on the normal scheduled brown two wheeled bin collection day. You can put the following in the brown two wheeled bin:

• grass cuttings
• flowers
• hedge trimmings
• leaves
• plants
• weeds

Please do not put food waste into the two wheeled brown bin once your new weekly food waste collections start. 

Top tips for recycling food waste

• Use the compostable liners – it keeps the kitchen caddy cleaner
• Start off by recycling used tea bags, fruit and vegetable peelings and uneaten food
• Ensure any cooked food is cooled down before you put it in the kitchen caddy
• Tie a knot in the compostable liner before placing in any outdoor bins – it will keep the outdoor bins cleaner
• Empty the kitchen caddy often into the outdoor bins