BROWN BINS

From April 2009, brown bins in Ards have been used to recycle food waste - so remember to feed your brown bin!

Around 40% of the rubbish in an average grey bin will be food waste - scraps of leftover meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, pasta, cheese. Instead of rotting in landfill sites and generating large amounts of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, food waste can now also be turned into compost along with garden waste.

Brown bins are available to residents free of charge and to make food recycling more convenient, the Council is to provide small 'kitchen caddies' to all homes with a brown bin, which can then be used to collect food waste. When the caddy is full, the contents can simply be emptied into the brown bin. Caddies can be lined with old newspaper or paper kitchen roll to absorb moisture and food scraps can also be wrapped this way - the paper can go directly into brown bins as it will compost too.

The caddies are free and if you don't have one, you simply need to contact us and we will arrange to have one delivered.

Using kerbside recycling schemes like this one is part of the Council's on-going commitment to meet challenging government recycling targets - the first of which, to recycle 25% of our household waste by the end of 2005, was successfully met. The next target is to ensure that 40% of our waste is diverted from landfill sites by 2010.

Brown bins will be collected every two weeks and bins must be left at the kerbside by 7.30am on the day of collection. A timetable for brown bin collections is available to download below.

What can I put in my brown bin?

Meat and fish - raw and cooked, including bones
All dairy products, such as eggs and cheese
Raw and cooked vegetables and fruit
Bread, cakes and pastries
Rice, pasta and beans
Tea and coffee grounds
Uneaten food from your plates and dishes
Nut shells
Shredded paper
Garden waste, especially grass cuttings, hedge clippings, leaves and bark.

All this material will be composted.

What can I not put in my brown bin?

You cannot put

Glass, metal, plastic, rubber, textiles, nappies, soil, rubble or any other types of waste.

For further information contact Clive Catterson, Waste Awareness Officer, Tel: 028 9182 4024, E: Waste Awareness Officer

The "Love Food, Hate Waste" campaign aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce the amount of food that we throw away, and how by doing some easy and practical things in the home we will benefit our purses and the environment. Find more information at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

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	Brown Bin Timetable, April 2010 - March 2011
	Brown Bin Timetable, April 09 - March 10
	Brown Bin Timetable, April 09 - March 10, large print format