In 2013 WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) reported that 7.0 million tonnes of waste was thrown away, most of which ends up at landfill. Find out everything you need to know about recycling your food waste.     Why should I recycle my food waste? Most food thrown away ends up at landfill where it begins to rot and releases methane, which is a harmful greenhouse gas. Recycling food waste can turn waste into useful compost and can even be used to generate electricity!   How is my food waste recycled? Food waste collected by your local council will be composted in one of two ways; in-vessel composting or anaerobic digestion. In-vessel composting Food waste is mixed with garden waste before being shredded and places in a composting vessel for 2-4 weeks. The temperature is controlled to speed up the composting process and kill off any pathogens. It will then be placed in piles for a few weeks to compost further before it’s ready to be used as a soil improver. Anaerobic digestion This process takes place without oxygen and uses micro-organisms to break down food waste. As part of the process the food waste gives off bio-gas which is collected and used to generate electricity, heat and transport fuels. The process also creates a biofertiliser, which is used in farming.   How can I recycle my food waste? Check with your council to find out whether they’re running a food waste scheme or not. You can also visit our Councils page to find out if we’re working with a food waste scheme in your area and what size food waste caddies and liners you need. If your council are running a food waste recycling scheme, we recommend using a food waste caddy in your kitchen and lining it with a compostable & biodegradable liner to keep it clean. Make sure to check with your council, as some don’t allow you to use liners in your caddy. Our food waste caddies and biodegradable and compostable liners come in a number of sizes and are suitable for most council food waste schemes. All of our liners are made from cornstarch and are certified to BS EN 13432:2000 and carry the European seedling logo. Our liners are high quality and are great value for money; we’re confident that if you can find them cheaper elsewhere they won’t match ours in terms of quality.   What food can be placed in my food waste caddy? You can put all kinds of food in your food waste caddy, whether it’s cooked or not, including; fruit and vegetable peelings, teabags, meat and bones, fish, dairy and coffee grounds. We recommend only putting unusable food waste (such as peelings or meat bones) in your food waste caddy as using up leftovers will help to save your household money.   How can I reduce my food waste? You can reduce the amount of food you’re throwing away by planning your meals, taking note of when things need using up and using up leftovers. As well as saving space in your food waste caddy, it will save you money. WRAP reported that the cost of avoidable food and drink waste for the average household was the equivalent to £470 a year, or £700 for the average household with children.   What if my council don’t run a food waste scheme? If your council don’t run a scheme you can compost your own food waste using a compost bin. When composting at home you need to make sure your compost bin has a good mix of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’. Greens are food and garden waste and browns are cardboard, paper, sawdust, twigs and branches. Remember you should never put cooked food, meat or fish in your compost bin. Visit our practical recycling page to find out more about the range of products we sell to help you recycle.