Blaby to Implement New Food Waste Recycling Program

A novel food waste recycling initiative is slated for introduction in Blaby, a town within Leicestershire, with the aim of generating renewable energy. Every household in Blaby will be provided with two containers: a small bin intended for kitchen waste, including items such as tea bags, vegetable peelings, and food leftovers, and a larger outdoor bin designed to hold the collected food waste bags. Blaby district councillor Paul Hartshorn stated that the collected food waste, which will be picked up weekly alongside regular refuse, would be “processed into biogas and converted to electricity, with fertiliser as a by-product”. Blaby District Council indicated that this new system is scheduled to be “rolled out in the future” as part of efforts to decrease the volume of food waste sent to landfills. The council further explained that this undertaking aligns with the government’s “Simpler Recycling” plan, an initiative mandating that all councils across England establish food waste collection services by 31 March 2026, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Mr. Hartshorn elaborated: “[Blaby] will get two bins. The larger green bin is the outdoor bin to be placed on the street with weekly rubbish collections. The smaller grey bin is a kitchen caddy to be kept in the kitchen to empty food waste into, using caddy bags which should be sold in most supermarkets. The full bags are then decanted into the larger bin.” The collected food waste will undergo processing at an anaerobic digester located near Hinckley. The district council also noted that comprehensive details of the scheme have not yet been disclosed, but additional information regarding the plans is expected to be presented at a full council meeting on 19 November.