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Food caddy

How to recycle your food waste

Food waste is collected weekly using 2 caddies (bins):

  • one small indoor caddy to store your waste
  • one larger lockable bin which should be put out for collection

When the small caddy is full, transfer to the bigger bin and store outside, locked. Please keep the outdoor bin locked and away from pets and children.

You can line the small caddy with paper, compostable bags or plastic caddy liners. The council does not supply caddy liners, but they are available at most supermarkets, household and discount stores, and online.

Both of the bins are washable and the small caddies will fit in the dishwasher.

You can put in:

  • any cooked leftovers
  • meat and bones
  • fish
  • out of date or mouldy food - please remove any packaging
  • tea bags and coffee grounds
  • bread and cakes
  • fruit and vegetables
  • rice, pasta and beans
  • eggs, cheese and yoghurts
  • peelings

Do not put in:

  • any packaging - empty out all food
  • plastic packaging
  • liquids like milk or oil 
  • glass

Collection from flats

At the current time it isn't possible to provide a food waste collection service from flats.

In West Northamptonshire we recycle food waste using a process called anaerobic digestion.

During the process bacteria break down the organic matter into:

  • a biogas, consisting mainly of methane, used to generate electricity and heat
  • a digestate, a solid which can be used as an organic fertiliser by farmers

Last updated 07 December 2023