Published on 22nd July 2013

skewers of meat cooking on a barbecue

Ubico Ltd, the environmental service provider for the councils in Cheltenham and the Cotswold district, is reminding residents that they can recycle much of the food waste and other refuse generated by barbeques and picnics.

The recent hot spell has been very welcome and has encouraged many residents to eat al fresco with barbeques and picnics much in evidence.  However, Ubico operatives have noticed that this has generated the disposal of considerable amounts of extra waste which can be easily recycled.

Ubico Managing Director, Rob Bell, commented:  “Some simple steps can be taken to minimise the amount of food waste produced, including buying only what is needed, cooking the right amount when catering for groups and freezing in-date produce rather than throwing it away when clearing out the fridge before going on holiday.

“Uneaten food which cannot be used up as leftovers can be recycled using our weekly kerbside food waste collection service.  Drinks cans, glass and plastic bottles, and cardboard can be brought home from days out and disposed of using the kerbside box collection service.  Items such as paper plates and napkins, along with fruit and vegetable peelings, are ideally suited to being home-composted.”

Rob has also made a special plea regarding the food waste caddies provided for kerbside collections:

“It is harder for collection crews to empty the caddies effectively when they are not cleaned regularly. If residents do not remove any build-up of grime this may lead to infestations of maggots and other insects, particularly in extremely hot weather. Uncleaned bins also tend to give off very bad odours which are particularly unpleasant when temperatures are high.  Compostable liners can be purchased from most shops to overcome this problem, but we also recommend that residents should clean their caddies regularly and they may also wish to use small amounts of paper to line them.”

 

NOTES

Research indicates that £12 billion is being wasted by UK householders because they throw away 7.2 millions of tonnes of food each year. 

More information about local waste and recycling services – including locations of waste and recycling sites - can be found online at http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/ and http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/.  To order a food waste caddy or recycling box call either 01285 623123 (Cotswold) or 01242 262626 (Cheltenham). 

Compost bins are available to purchase from http://www.recycleforgloucestershire.com/.  Prices start from £8.49 per bin.

 

For press enquiries relating to Cotswold District Council, contact: Bob McNally, Press Officer, telephone 01285 623120, email [email protected]

For press enquiries relating to Cheltenham Borough Council, contact: Katie Sandey, communications team leader, telephone 01242 775050, email [email protected]