Re-start filling your food scrap bins

File photo. SunLive.

Both Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council will be restarting their food scraps collections this coming week.

From Monday, May 9, all eligible households from the two council areas can place their official food scraps bins back on the kerbside each week.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council's deputy CEO and group manager of infrastructure services Gary Allis is excited to have full services up and running again and sees it as a chance to reset.

'Let's all use this re-start as an opportunity to reinvigorate our habits and make good use of all waste minimisation options on offer. If you have not used the service yet, or are sceptical about the benefits of the service for the environment – now is the time to give it a go.

'Reusing food scraps is a key part of our strategy to reduce waste. By not sending food scraps to landfill we reduce emissions and reuse precious nutrients as food scrap bin contents go on to become compost that grows more fruit and vegetables – it's a win-win.”

Tauranga City Council manager for sustainability and waste Sam Fellows says all kerbside collection services will be operational.

'This means rubbish, recycling, glass, and food scrap bins can be put out on their usual collection days. While our efforts to reduce food waste from landfill have been hampered temporarily, we know everyone will be eager to start filling up their food scrap bins again.”

Gary says Western Bay of Plenty District Council realise recent Covid-related service interruptions have meant some food scraps ended up in the landfill, but says they're 'hopeful that some residents were able to freeze or safely store their food scraps for our first collections”.

Frozen food scraps can now be drip-fed into both councils' bins. Food scraps collections take place weekly and can be lined with brown paper or newspaper, to help keep the bin clean and odour-free.

Plastic lining, even if it is biodegradable or compostable, can't be collected as varying plastics can contaminate compost at the composting facility. It's also important to keep your food scraps bin in a cool place outside, where it's less likely to attract flies.

To check your collection day in the Western Bay of Plenty, visit: www.kerbsidecollective.co.nz/collection-day

To check your collection day in Tauranga City, visit: www.tauranga.govt.nz/living/rubbish-and-recycling/kerbside-collections/when-to-put-your-bins-out

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1 comment

Unnecessary

Posted on 09-05-2022 15:11 | By Kancho

For me and probably many other people it's not needed anyway. Certainly on collection day in my street is probably fifty percent. Will be interesting when it resumes as to whether people use the fortnightly bucket


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