Coventry households are being reminded that the city’s new weekly food waste collection service starts next week.
Coventry City Council says collections are set to begin during the week starting Monday, 7 September, after new food waste containers were delivered to households over the summer.
Residents should put their food waste bin out by 7am on their collection day, in the same place they normally leave their rubbish and recycling bins. Information supplied with the new container should confirm the collection day.
## What can go in the food waste bin?
The council says the bins can take cooked and uncooked food, including plate scrapings, eggs and eggshells, rice, pasta, meat and fish including bones, bread, dairy products, teabags, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetables.
Liquids, cooking oil, packaging, garden waste, flowers and pet waste should not be put in the food waste container.
Residents can use compostable liners, newspaper or a paper bag to line the bin if they wish. The council also advises keeping the handle in the locked position to help prevent animals getting inside.
## What happens to the food?
Collected food waste will be sent to an anaerobic digestion facility, where it is used to produce fertiliser as well as gas which can generate renewable energy and electricity.
The separate weekly service is being introduced as part of national recycling requirements. Coventry City Council received £2.69 million in government funding towards vehicles, containers and other implementation costs.
Once the new service begins, food waste should no longer be placed in brown-lidded garden waste bins.
People living in flats and high-rise blocks are also included in the new service, with smaller kitchen caddies and communal food waste containers being used.
Residents with an existing assisted collection will continue to receive that support for their food waste collection.