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On street communal food waste bins trialled

Residents living above shops in Hackney and Islington are saving food scraps in a trial designed to slim people’s bins.

By Julia Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter

Two people stand next to a large flip top waste bin on a london street
On Street,Communal Food Waste Bin on trial in Hackney. Photo: North London Waste Authority

Residents living above shops in Hackney and Islington are saving food scraps in a trial designed to slim people’s bins.

The trial will test out different kinds of bins to see which are the most successful and food scraps will be collected weekly.

Food waste collected in the special caddies will go to an anaerobic digester and turned into biogas for fuel or a fertiliser.

Trials are also underway in Islington where residents living above shops in Holloway Road are testing out the scheme.

North London Waste Authority, which is owned by seven London councils, is working with 400 families across Hackney to test out the scheme.

Space is at a premium for homes above flats and there is often no room for storage bins at street level.

Instead people put their rubbish and recycling in bags on the street just in time for collection.

According to NLWA, the average family bins 241kg of food waste a year and wants to cut this.

It is encouraging people to slim their bin and use leftovers as well as collecting waste.

NLWA will also survey residents and  said the proof of the pudding will depend on the tonnage of food waste collected and whether it is contaminated with non-food waste.

Campaigners are also concerned about the amount of food people throw out because its “best before” date has passed. This indicates that it may be past its best, but is still safe to eat.

According to the government people should follow the “use by” guidance which shows when food is safe to eat.

Government guidance said people should “never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok, as it could make you very ill.

“You can eat food until midnight on the use-by date shown on a product, but not after, unless the food has been cooked or frozen. ”

Hackney Cabinet member for the environment and transport Mete Coban said “reducing food waste is one way that households can reduce emissions ” and help tackle the climate emergency.

Martin Capstick, NLWA’s chief executive, told Islington Council at its recent environment scrutiny committee  that one of the challenges was avoiding contamination if people put rubbish in the food collection.

“Our focus is on reduction and and not buying what you are not going to use,” he said.

Feedback will help develop the scheme for other areas.

Residents in houses in both boroughs already have food waste collected from caddies at their doorstep.

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