Food Waste Collections

In terms of the Waste Hierarchy, the prevention of food waste should take priority. WRAPs ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign aims to help citizens waste less food by making the most of the food available. Please see our Love Food Hate Waste pages for more information. However, households are still generating signific amounts of unavoidable food waste which needs to be managed.

Why is food waste being collected?

From March 2026, district councils in Leicestershire will begin to roll out food waste collections as part of the Government’s Simpler Recycling regulations. At 26% food waste is the largest single material found in rubbish bins (based on Leicestershire compositional analysis 2025).

Collecting food waste from households for recycling can offer a wide range of benefits, including:

Reducing damaging greenhouse gas emissions by removing the food waste content from general waste

Increasing recycling rates

Reducing waste disposal costs

Producing compost for use as a soil improver

Producing digestate fertiliser

Generating heat and power through anaerobic digestion

Where is the food waste going?

Food waste will be collected once a week from the kerbside and taken to anaerobic digestion plants near Atherstone, Derby and Kettering.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a process where microbes break down organic matter, such as food waste, without oxygen. This produces biogas (mostly methane), which can be used to generate energy, and digestate, which can be used as a fertiliser.

The following video shows an example of the process at an anaerobic digestion facility:

If you’re interested in finding out more about the process, the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association website provides further information.

What to put in your food waste caddy?

A 7 litre food waste kitchen caddy sat on a kitchen worktop next to a roll of caddy liner bags. A 25 litre Food Waste bin for outside usage sat on a garden lawn

Yes please – put these in your food caddy

All food items can be put into your food caddy cooked or uncooked, including:

bread and pastries

dairy products

fruit and vegetables (including fruit stones)

meat, fish, bones

tea bags and coffee grounds

Ready meals removed from their packaging

No thanks – do not put these in your food caddy

These items must not be put in your food caddy:

Packaging of any kind

Liquids

Oil or liquid fat

Any material that is not food waste

Caddy bags / liners

Caddy bags / liners should be used in your food waste caddy. Any type of non-black bag / liner is acceptable. Please refer to your local district / borough council website below for further details on use of caddy bag / liners in your local area.

Where to get further information

To find out when your food waste collection will begin and for further information on food waste collections, including details on collection dates etc. please visit your local district / borough council website.

Links to district / borough council websites:

Blaby District Council: https://www.blaby.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/household-waste/food-waste-collections/
Charnwood Borough Council: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/introduction_of_food_waste_collections
Harborough District Council: https://www.harborough.gov.uk/info/20007/environmental_services/621/food_waste
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council: https://www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/info/200436/food_waste
Melton Borough Council: https://www.melton.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/household-waste/food-waste/
North West Leicestershire District Council: https://www.nwleics.gov.uk/pages/recycling_food_waste
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council: https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/food_waste_recycling

FAQs

What if I don’t produce any food waste?

Remember, no amount is too small. The best thing we can do with our food is enjoy it, but some items, such as banana skins, tea bags and bones, are unavoidable and can all be recycled.

Will the smell of food waste attract insects and vermin?

The caddies are designed with lockable lids. You should not have an issue with smells if you regularly empty the bagged food waste from your indoor kitchen caddy into the outdoor food waste caddy. The outdoor caddy’s lockable lid prevents pests and vermin from getting in.

What if I already compost my food waste?

If you already compost, you can continue to do so if you wish. Remember to only compost garden waste and uncooked fruit and vegetable waste, such as peelings and skins, as well as coffee grounds and tea bags.

All non-compostable food waste, such as meat, fish, small bones, fruit stones, cooked food and dairy products, can go into your food waste caddy. Alternatively, if you have a food waste digester at home, such as a HotBin, these items can be placed in there.

For further information on composting and its benefits, visit our composting pages.

I don’t have enough space for the caddy. What should I do?

Kitchen caddy (7 litres): Many people find it practical to keep the caddy under the sink, next to the kitchen bin or on the worktop. You can also use your own container if you prefer something that better suits your kitchen. If you do not wish to use a kitchen caddy, you can simply use the outdoor food waste caddy.

Outdoor caddy (23 litres): This is much smaller than your black bin and is similar in size to a standard bucket.