Thousands of residents will receive visits in the coming weeks as part of a campaign to help more people recycle food waste in Hackney.

Last week (Tuesday 14 February), Council staff began travelling round the borough handing out a six month supply of free compostable bin liners, and replacing broken or unused kitchen caddies with more sturdy models.

The new blue bins, which hold food waste, are clean and secure and collected weekly with other recycling.

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Recycling more of our food waste can help lower the amount of greenhouse gases created at landfills and can help reduce climate change. It will also help save local taxpayers money, as it currently costs around £2 million a year to get rid of food waste in Hackney.

“With the free liners and new caddies, residents will be able to see how simple it is to take part in food recycling.”

Food waste recycling helps to make Hackney a greener borough and produces 200 tonnes of compost each year, which is used by local parks, gardens and community groups.

In total 62,000 homes will be visited as part of the drive, and residents will be shown how to use the blue bins, the full range of food that can be recycled in them, and given the free liners.

Compostable liners help keep kitchen caddies clean and tidy, and break down easily in the composting process, unlike other plastic bags which shouldn¹t be used in blue bins.

For more info, or to order a kitchen caddy, call: 0208 8356 6688; or visit: www.hackney.gov.uk/recycling

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