Waste Less, Recycle More

Over 60% of Gloucestershire Householders Waste Could Be Recycled!

This September, we are launching Gloucestershire’s NEW Waste Less, Recycle More Campaign to encourage people to buy what you need, eat what you buy and recycle any remaining food using your weekly recycling collection. 

Over a quarter of an average Gloucestershire household’s waste bin is made up of food waste, most of which could have been eaten.

Food waste, paper and card, garden waste, plastic and textiles can all be recycled using your local council kerbside recycling collection services. Click here to find out more about what’s available in your area and what you can and can’t recycle.

We have sent a leaflet to every household in Gloucestershire to encourage people to waste less food and use their weekly food waste collection and other kerbside recycling services. If you’ve not received a copy or need another, you can download it here. We also want to remind everyone about the garden waste recycling and bulky waste collection services (to get rid of large household items) and how make best use of our Household Recycling Centres.

1). How you can waste less food

Be organised

• Writing a shopping list before you shop can help limit impulse buys and ‘buy one, get one free offers’.  This could save you money too.
• Check your cupboards and fridge before you head off to the shop to make sure you are not buying items that you already have.
• Unsure how much food you need to buy?  Use the Love Food Hate Waste 'portion planner' calculator tool to get a better idea of what you need!

Make it last

• Make sure your fridge is set to below 5⁰C. Setting your fridge to the right temperature can preserve food by a further 3 days, helping you waste less. Find out more here
• Remember to check regularly the 'use by' dates of the food in your fridge and cupboards.  Move the food which needs using up first towards the front of the shelf as a simple reminder to use these first.
• Confused about the difference between 'best before' and 'use by' dates?  ‘Use by’ dates are about safety. Foods can be eaten (or frozen) up until the ‘use by’ date but not after. ‘Best Before’ dates are about quality. Food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best.  The Food Standards Agency's website has more advice.

Make the most of leftovers

• Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes for tips and inspiration about how to make the most of leftovers!
• Many can be frozen rather than being wasted. Cheese, fruit for smoothies and bread can all be frozen rather than being thrown away. Next time you are unsure, check the on pack labelling for a little snowflake to see if its suitable for freezing.
• Use plastic containers (old margarine or ice cream tubs work well) to store your leftovers in the fridge for the next day.

For more tips and advice, visit love food hate waste.

2). Recycle your food waste

Use your local council weekly kerbside recycling collection to recycle any remaining food. DO NOT put this in you waste bin. To order food waste containers click here

3). What happens to food waste once collected

Food waste is collected and taken to an anaerobic digestion plant where it’s converted into a gas to fuel homes and fertiliser to grow crops.

We need your support to help us WASTE LESS and RECYCLE MORE in Gloucestershire!