South Norfolk food waste collections
Food waste collections are now underway for households in the first phase of our new free weekly service.
The service is being introduced in two phases:
- Phase 1 collections are now underway from week commencing 27 July
- Phase 2 collections will start week commencing 28 September
Not all households will start at the same time. You can check which phase you’re in and when collections will start using the postcode checker below.
Communal properties are not included in the postcode checker, so if this applies to your property, we will be in touch separately with further information.
Check when your collections will startThis new service will help us cut down on waste and transform leftovers into energy and fertiliser, creating a cleaner, greener South Norfolk.
What happens next?
- 4-6 weeks before your service starts you'll receive a leaflet with your start date.
- Around 1-3 weeks before your service begins your kitchen caddy, outdoor food waste bin and liners will be delivered.
What you’ll receive
- A small indoor kitchen caddy
- A 23 litre outdoor food waste bin
- Liners to keep your caddy clean
Simply pop your food waste into the caddy, such as peelings, leftovers, and out-of-date food, then empty it into your outdoor food waste bin.
Please put your outdoor food waste bin out by 6:30am on your collection day, with the handle in the upright locked position. We’ll collect it weekly, on the same day as your rubbish and recycling, by a separate vehicle dedicated to collecting food waste.
We recommend that you mark your outdoor food waste bin with your house name or number. This helps our crews return the correct bin to the correct property after collection.
Why is this happening?
These changes are part of the Government’s Simpler Recycling legislation, which requires all councils to:
- collect a core list of recyclable materials
- provide weekly food waste collections
This ensures consistency across the country, making recycling easier and helping to boost national recycling rates.
Who is paying for these changes?
The Government is providing additional funding to help councils set up new recycling and food waste collection services.
Will my collection day change?
There will be no changes during rollout. However, collection days may change in future due to service demands, such as new housing developments.
Food waste will be collected weekly, on the same day as your rubbish and recycling, by a separate vehicle dedicated to collecting food waste.
What about flats and communal areas?
Most communal properties will receive the new food waste collection service after the main kerbside rollout. This is because communal locations often require tailored solutions to ensure the service works effectively for residents.
To help us identify the best approach, a small number of communal properties are included in Phase 1 so that we can gather information and learn what arrangements work best for residents.
We will contact you directly before the service starts at your property to provide details of the collection arrangements and any containers you may need.
Food waste FAQs
Yes please
All food waste, raw and cooked, including:
- Fruit and vegetables – all parts, including peelings and cores
- Meat and fish – including bones and chicken carcasses
- Dairy products such as cheese, eggs and eggshells
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Bread, pastries and cakes
- Pasta, rice and beans
- Mouldy and out-of-date food - including frozen food
- Leftovers and food scrapings from your plate
- Pet food - wet and dry cat and dog food
No thanks
- Packaging of any kind
- Liquids such as milk and oils
- Any material that is not food waste
If it isn’t food waste, please don’t put it in your food waste caddy.
Step 1 – Line it
Line your small kitchen caddy with one of the free liners provided and fill it with your food waste.
Step 2 – Empty it
When you need to empty your kitchen caddy, tie the top of the liner and place it in your outdoor food bin. The liner will be removed before the food waste is processed.
Step 3 – Put it out
Put your larger outdoor food bin next to your rubbish or recycling bin for collection every week by 6:30am. Lock the handle in the upright position to help prevent spills and pests.
If you already receive an assisted collection for your rubbish and recycling bins, this will also apply to your outdoor food waste bin.
If you think you may need assistance with your food waste collection, you can find information about eligibility and how to apply on our Assisted bin collections page.
Yes. Food waste will be collected weekly, on the same day as your rubbish and recycling collections, but by a separate food waste collection vehicle.
Once collected, it is taken to a processing facility where it is turned into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser.
Food waste is collected on the same day as your rubbish and recycling, but by a separate vehicle.
Collections may not take place at the same time, so please leave your food waste bin out until it has been emptied.
If it hasn't been collected by the end of the day, please report it using our missed bin form.
Please leave your bin out and we will return within five working days. As this is a new service, we have additional resources in place to help resolve any missed collections as quickly as possible.
While the new service will see additional collection vehicles on the roads, the environmental benefits of recycling food waste far outweigh the emissions from collecting it.
Recycling food waste separately helps prevent it from producing harmful greenhouse gases as it breaks down and allows it to be turned into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser.
South Norfolk's food waste collection vehicles also use HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), a renewable fuel which significantly reduces carbon emissions compared with conventional diesel.
Food waste is collected weekly to help prevent smells. Empty your caddy into the outdoor food bin regularly and give both a quick rinse. Your outdoor bin also has a lockable lid to keep smells contained and pests out.
Food waste collections are a standard part of South Norfolk Council’s household waste service and are provided to all eligible properties.
You can’t opt out of receiving the service or the food waste containers, but you don’t have to use them.
We encourage residents to give the service a try and recycle as much food waste as possible.
Using your food waste collection helps to:
- keep your rubbish bin cleaner and reduce smells
- recycle more of the waste produced at home
- reduce the amount of waste sent for disposal
- support a more efficient and cost-effective waste collection service
The service is collected weekly and can be used for all food waste, including raw and cooked food, leftovers, peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, meat, fish and bones. If it was food, it belongs in your food waste bin.
The caddy is compact and designed to take up as little space as possible. Many people keep it under the sink, next to their kitchen bin or on the worktop. You can also use your own container if you prefer.
When you run out of liners, you can use any plastic bags you have at home, or tie a liner to the handle of your outdoor food bin and the crew will leave you more, free of charge.
We provide plastic liners to make food waste recycling cleaner, simpler and more efficient.
The liners are durable, helping to prevent leaks and tears when collecting and transferring food waste. They are also made from 30% recycled plastic to help reduce environmental impact.
The liners are not compostable. Compostable liners do not break down effectively during the anaerobic digestion process used to treat food waste. As all liners are removed before treatment and sent to an energy-from-waste facility to generate electricity, compostable liners do not provide any additional benefit.
Your food waste is broken down in sealed tanks by a process called anaerobic digestion, which create a natural biogas to be used as a fuel to generate renewable energy as well as producing a nutrient rich bio-fertiliser to be used on farmland.
Recycling your food waste is better for the environment. Rotting food generates methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) and contributes to global warming and climate change.
When recycled, food waste can be turned into something useful. Your food waste will be taken to a special processing plant in the UK where it is used to generate electricity and fertiliser which can be used in farming.
Additionally, your rubbish bin will be cleaner, less smelly and less full.
If you compost at home, this service can still be useful for food waste that’s not suitable for composting, such as meat, fish, bones and dairy products. Not everyone has the space or ability to compost, so the service can also be a helpful alternative.
Visit the Norfolk Recycles website to learn more about home composting and access subsidised composting equipment.
Even small amounts make a difference. The best thing we can do with food is enjoy it, but some waste is unavoidable, like banana skins, tea bags and vegetable peelings, all of which can be recycled. In fact, just one banana skin can generate enough electricity to charge a mobile phone twice!
Garden waste and food waste are collected and processed differently, so food waste cannot be placed in your garden waste bin. Food waste must be collected separately to comply with regulations and ensure its properly recycled.
We encourage everyone to reduce waste where possible. Visit the Food Savvy website for tips and resources.