Food waste collection - frequently asked questions
Are the liners biodegradable?
The liners we provide are not biodegradable but will be recycled as part of the process.
The fact that the liners are biodegradable or not has no impact on how the food waste is recycled and any type of bag can be used and recycled as part of the process.
If you would prefer to use biodegradable liners, they can be used in the small caddy.
The liners we provide are made from recycled plastic.
Will you replenish our liners?
We will aim to replenish the liners annually.
If they run out in the meantime, any type of bag can be used in the small caddy.
How do I get a food waste bin?
Food waste bins will be delivered free of charge to every household within South Ribble from 23 February to 3 April 2026.
How often will they be collected?
Weekly.
Will we need to pay for them?
No.
Will the collection for the general waste bin become less frequent now?
There are no planned changes to the frequency of collection of other bins.
Will our Council Tax go up because of this?
Collecting food waste will become a statutory service, and council tax is collected to support in our funding of our services.
The budget for the coming year is not yet set and there are many factors which contribute to the decision on council tax rates.
Our annual budget consultation will take place early next year.
Will the council profit from the collection of food waste?
We collect all the waste and recycling across the borough however after collection, all waste goes to Lancashire County Council for disposal and recycling.
I don’t have the space for a caddy in my kitchen
The caddy is very small and can fit easily in a cupboard or on a worktop or counter.
You can also just dispose of food waste in a liner or bag, or a caddy of your choice and put in the larger caddy outside.
I don’t have room outside for a new bin
The outdoor caddy is 1/10th the size of a normal wheelie bin and is lockable.
It can sit alongside or on top of your other bins.
How to I stop the outdoor caddy from flying away with the wind?
The caddy can be weighted down when empty on windier days if needed.
I live in a flat and have communal bins – how will this work?
Flats will get a kitchen caddy and liners, but instead of an outdoor caddy they will get a communal bin in their bin store (with the other shared bins for waste/recycling).
Some flats, depending on the property, will get the same caddies as households.
I am disabled and unable to put my bins out for collection, what can I do?
We offer an assisted bin collection for residents.
If you already have assisted bin collection, the food waste caddies will be added automatically.
Why can’t food waste go in the garden waste bin?
Garden waste is sent for composting in Lancashire, and the facility does not accept food waste. Food waste will be sent for anaerobic digestion, a different process which converts organic waste in an oxygen-free environment into biogas and digestate. The digestate can then be safely used as a nutrient rich fertiliser to enhance soil fertility and help crop growth.
Why can’t garden waste go in the food waste caddy?
Food waste will be sent for anaerobic digestion, a different process which converts organic waste in an oxygen-free environment into biogas and digestate.
Will the kitchen caddy smell?
Using the kitchen caddy for food waste is no different to having food waste in your current kitchen bin. The kitchen caddy has a lid which is lockable and will help contain any potential smells. We will also provide you with liners to use in in the kitchen caddy, this will help to keep your bin clean.
You can empty the kitchen caddy into the external food waste caddy as regularly as you wish to prevent smells in your kitchen.
Will the outdoor bin attract wildlife and how do I stop them getting into the bin?
The food waste will be collected in a 23-litre container, specifically designed to be pest and fox-resistant, featuring a locking lid to help prevent access.
What about flies or maggots if the food goes mouldy?
Food waste will be collected more regularly than it is now, meaning flies and maggots are less likely to be an issue.
Food waste bags can be moved to the outdoor caddy at any time.
Will the caddies get dirty?
All food waste can be bagged so there should be no residual food waste on the caddies.
The food waste collections will ensure your general waste bin is cleaner too.
Why should I recycle food waste?
Food waste currently goes to landfill. In landfill, food rots, and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 25x more harmful than carbon dioxide.
Food waste makes up over a third of the average household waste bin. Recycling food waste also means less waste is sent to landfill or incineration. Instead, it is taken to a specialist facility where it is recycled.
By recycling food waste, you'll have fewer items in your rubbish bin and it'll be cleaner.
I do not have food waste, I compost
Great! We all should be wasting less, and composting is a fantastic way to do this.
We understand that you may not use your food bin as much as other people—or at all—due to composting, but we want to ensure that if your compost bin is full or if you experience any mobility issues, that you have everything you need to use this service — to avoid any food waste going to landfill.
A spare caddy is always handy whilst washing one up or if your current one is full when the weather is too unpleasant to venture out to your compost bin.
Can I opt out of food waste collections?
The government has made it mandatory for councils to collect food waste from all households.
All households will receive the two food waste caddies.
How is providing even more plastic (with the caddies) better for the environment?
The caddies are made of 100% recycled plastic.
The caddies need to be durable, lockable and pest resistant to prevent issues we have already addressed as part of this FAQ. The plastic material, same as other bins in the home, is the most appropriate material for this use.
The net positives for recycling food waste, as opposed to it going to landfill outweighs the negative of the plastic containers which will have a long usage period.
What happens to the food waste?
Food waste that’s collected for recycling will be processed using anaerobic digestion (AD). AD involves the breakdown of biodegradable material to produce a source of renewable energy.
This is broken down to produce biogas which can be used to generate electricity and heat, and as vehicle fuel.
A further by-product of AD is a digestate which is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements required for healthy plant growth and fertile soil which can be used by farmers as a soil fertiliser.
Where will it be recycled?
The food waste collected from households will be taken to Farington Waste Recovery Park for anaerobic digestion, as directed by Lancashire County Council as the Waste Disposal Authority.
A planning application from a third party for an AD plant in Adlington has been submitted, but not by the council or Lancashire County Council.
How can I reduce my food waste?
For advice on reducing food waste, visit the Love Food, Hate Waste website.
How can I find out more about food waste collections?
We'll be delivering more information to every household, closer to the time.
Our website will also be updated as and when more information is available alongside our social media channels.
For advice on reducing food waste, visit the Love Food, Hate Waste website.