Do you recycle your food waste at home? Are you curious about the journey your food waste takes once it leaves your home? Our latest campaign delves into how easy it is to recycle food waste in north London and why it matters for the planet. Find out how you too can contribute to a greener future by separating out your food waste.
Meet your local food waste crew
Meet the dedicated crew members from Enfield, Camden, Haringey, Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest who make it all happen and get a glimpse of the work they do and the sense of humour they do it with!
Watch our new video series and meet north London’s food waste crews!
Order your food waste caddy
To recycle your food waste you will need a small indoor caddy to collect food scraps in your kitchen, as well as a secure outdoor food waste container to transfer food waste into every few days. Order your caddy from your local council website below:
You can line your caddy so please use a compostable liner, old newspaper or kitchen roll. Do not use plastic bin bags.
What's accepted in the food waste
Help your food waste crew by placing the right items in your food waste caddy. Remember not to dump rubbish in the caddy and to remove any packaging.
What you can recycle:
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Fruit and vegetables
Including peelings
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Tea bags and coffee grounds
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Meat and fish
Including bones
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Dairy products
Including eggs, cheese but nothing liquid like milk
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Leftovers
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Bread, rice and pasta
If you're not sure what to do with different types of food waste, check the A-Z waste search or go to our food waste page.
Why does recycling food waste matter?
Around 32% of the rubbish that we throw away is food waste. By separating out your food waste so that it can be recycled, you will help reduce our impact on the planet and tackle climate change.
Food waste goes to an anaerobic digestion facility where it gets turned into energy and compost for farming. So using your food waste recycling service, means your food scraps get turned into something new, rather than going to waste.
So order your caddy today and help us reduce north London's carbon footprint and create a more circular economy.
Where does your food waste go?
Did you know?
The average family throws out 241.2kg of food every year.
The average family throws out 241.2kg of food every year.
Once food waste is collected, it is taken to an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility for processing. The AD process sees food waste broken down by microbes in an oxygen-tight container to produce biogas and digestate, a nutrient-rich fertiliser.
The biogas can then be used to provide heat and energy to households and the digestate can be applied to agricultural land, improving soil quality and returning organic carbon to the earth.
FAQs
A food waste caddy can be stored under the sink, in a kitchen cupboard, or even on the kitchen counter. The best location is one that is convenient for you to use when collecting food scraps and also avoids potential odours by keeping it out of direct sunlight.
Food waste in your kitchen caddy does not smell if it is managed properly.
To manage your food waste recycling and reduce odours:
- Use compostable liners.
- Make sure your caddy lid closed. It traps smells and keeps unwelcome flies out.
- Empty your caddy regularly (weekly or more). This prevents food from decomposing and causing bad smells.
- Rinse the caddy every now and again - a bit of hot water and soap does the trick,
As a bonus, if you separate your food waste from your rubbish your rubbish bin will smell less.
You can use food waste caddies without a liner, purchase your own, or use brown paper bags or newspaper to line your caddy. Some boroughs offer food caddy liners at local libraries - check your borough's website.
Important: Do not use plastic bags to line your caddy as they contaminate the food waste!
No, garden waste should not be put in your food waste caddy. Garden waste is composted separately and goes to a separate facility for processing. Placing it in the food waste caddy can contaminate the food waste.
Published date
8 May 2025
