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Food waste collection

Food waste collection: what goes in your food caddy

Councils in England are now required to collect food waste every week, using a small kitchen caddy and an outdoor bin. Here's what goes in, what doesn't and how to keep your caddy fresh, so your food waste gets recycled.

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Kitchen food waste caddy with vegetable peelings
Food waste day

Get your food waste day in the Loci app

Pop in your postcode to check Loci works where you live. Then download the free app to see your bin days and get a reminder the night before.

Bin day reminder on the Loci app

What goes in your food waste bin

Plate scrapings

All uneaten food and leftovers, and anything past its use-by date, taken out of its packaging.

Plate scrapings

Meat and fish

Raw and cooked, including bones, skin and shellfish shells.

Meat and fish

Fruit and veg

Peelings, cores, cooked veg and fruit that's gone off.

Fruit and veg

Bread, pasta and rice

Bread, cakes, pastries, pasta, rice, beans and pulses.

Bread, pasta and rice

Dairy and eggs

Cheese, butter, eggs and eggshells.

Dairy and eggs

Tea and coffee

Tea bags and coffee grounds. Coffee pods usually can't go in.

Tea and coffee

Using your caddy

Food caddy tips: liners, smells and what stays out

The basics are the same everywhere, but some rules change from council to council. Here's what to know, and what to check.

Never miss food waste day

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Food waste day, sorted

Food waste is usually collected every week, so it's easy to lose track of your food waste bin collection. Loci gets your collection days from your council's published schedule and reminds you the night before. Not sure if something can go in your caddy? Ask AI search, which answers using your council's own website and links to the page it used. It's free on iPhone and Android. 

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Bin day reminder on the Loci app

Residents guides 

More bin guides 

Answers to the bin questions residents ask most. 

Simpler Recycling explained
Simpler Recycling explained

What the new recycling rules in England mean for your bins.

Read the guide  tail-right

Garden waste collections
Garden waste collections

How garden waste subscriptions work and when collections run.

Read the guide  tail-right

Find your bin collection calendar
Find your bin collection calendar

Where to find your collection dates and how to keep up with changes.

Read the guide tail-right

Bin colours explained
Bin colours explained

What each bin colour usually means, and why it changes between councils.

Read the guide  tail-right

Which bin goes out this week?
Which bin goes out this week?

Alternate weeks, colour weeks and week A or B, explained.

Read the guide  tail-right

All bin guides
All bin guides

Every bin and recycling guide in one place, plus your council's page.

See all guides  tail-right

Food waste collection: your questions answered

You put food scraps in a small kitchen caddy, then empty it into an outdoor food bin. Your council collects the outdoor bin, usually every week. Councils in England are now required to collect food waste weekly, though some have been given extra time.

Your local community app

Food waste day, every bin day and council services for your area, free in one app.

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