Food waste collection
The roll out of a food waste recycling collection will begin from Monday 24 November 2025.
We’re introducing this service in phases. It will start with around 10,000 properties in areas across the borough.
Check if your property is part of phase one
Collection day
Food waste will be collected weekly on the same day as your regular household waste and recycling. Check your collection day
Your refuse and recycling collections will continue as usual every week. The new food waste collections are an additional service.
What we’ll provide you with
When the service comes to your area, you’ll receive:
- a small caddy to collect food waste in your kitchen
- an introductory roll of liners for your kitchen caddy. This can be used to transfer contents to your outdoor caddy
- a larger outdoor food waste caddy to empty your kitchen caddy contents into
- instructions explaining how to use the service
When your equipment will be received
If the service is coming to your area in phase one, you’ll receive your kitchen and outdoor food waste caddies from Monday 10 November.
Your first collection will start on your usual collection day during the week beginning Monday 24 November.
If the service is not coming to your area right now, you’ll get your items later. We’ll send you a letter beforehand to let you know when to expect them.
How to use your caddies
It’s easy to recycle your food waste. Follow the steps below:
- Put a liner in your small kitchen caddy then put your food waste in it
- When your caddy is full, remove the liner. Tie the top and put it in your larger outdoor food waste caddy
- Put your food waste recycling out for collection by 6am every week on your normal collection day
What you can put in your caddy
You can include all type of cooked and uncooked food. For example:
- plate scrapings
- eggs and eggshells
- cheese and other dairy foods
- fruit and vegetables (raw or cooked)
- bread, pastries, cakes and biscuits
- meat and bones (raw or cooked)
- fish and fish bones (raw or cooked)
- rice, pasta and beans
- tea bags and coffee grounds
Do not include:
- oils
- liquid fat
- garden waste
- animal bedding
- packaging of any kind
- liquids like milk which could cause spillage
A single plastic, paper or biodegradable liner is also accepted in the caddy bin.
Where the food waste goes
Your food waste will be taken to a local Anaerobic Digestion facility in Dagenham.
The food waste is broken down to produce bio-gas, which is used to generate electricity and heat. It will also produce a bio-fertiliser to be used on farmland to grow more food.
Want to reduce your food waste?
The average household wastes around £470 per year on throwing edible food away. Reducing your food waste can save you money and is good for the local and global environment.
Follow these top tips to reducing waste
Find out more
Why is Redbridge introducing food waste collections?
We’re launching food waste collections to:
-
Tackle the climate emergency: Around 40% of household waste in Redbridge is food waste, which has a negative environmental impact. This new collection allows residents to recycle the food waste into renewable energy and bio-fertiliser that enhances soil health and fertility
-
Meet new legal requirements: The Government requires all councils to introduce a separate food waste collection
Why isn’t everyone getting the service at the same time?
Many Councils across the country are preparing to introduce food waste recycling as part of the Government’s Simpler Recycling reforms. This places a demand for specialist vehicles and containers which is taking longer than usual to get them.
We’ve already secured enough containers to begin rolling out the service to 10,000 households. This marks an exciting first step in our commitment to reducing waste and supporting sustainability.
We’re in the process of buying the rest of the containers and vehicles. We’ll update this page with new dates as soon as we know more. You’ll receive a letter when the service is starting in your area.
My neighbours have received their food waste caddies, but I haven’t. How can I get mine?
Check if your property is part of phase one
- If you’re in phase one and haven’t received your caddies, please email cleansing.services@redbridge.gov.uk
- If you’re not in phase one, there’s no need to do anything right now. We’ll contact you when the service starts in your area.
I live in a flat, when am I getting a food waste collection?
For phase one, we’re just rolling the service out to kerbside properties.
Flats, including flats above shops, will be included in later phases of the rollout.
You’ll receive a letter when the service begins at your property.
Will the food waste caddies attract animals, smells or flies?
No, the outdoor food waste caddy is built to keep animals out.
The handle acts as a lock. Simply leave the handle in the upright position and the caddy is securely closed.
Here’s how to keep your caddies fresh and free from pests:
-
Use a liner in your kitchen caddy. You can reuse everyday plastic bags like those from bread, salad, or cereal or purchase liners from most supermarkets or online shops.
-
Keep lids closed tightly on both your indoor and outdoor caddies to prevent fruit flies and other insects from getting in
-
Clean regularly with warm and soapy water, especially if you're not using liners
Why are you supplying plastic liners instead of compostable?
We understand that many of you are keen to make environmentally conscious choices. Compostable liners may seem more eco-friendly but plastic liners are more effective for our anaerobic digestion process.
Here’s why:
-
Plastic liners are more easily and reliably removed by an advanced de-packaging system at the anaerobic digestion. Their durability allows the machinery to separate them cleanly from the food waste, ensuring minimal contamination and smoother processing.
-
Once separated, plastic liners are sent to an Energy from Waste facility where they are converted into Refuse Derived Fuel
-
Although designed to degrade, compostable liners often don’t remain in use long enough to fully break down before reaching the processing stage. This means they are typically removed and disposed of in the same way as plastic liners, without offering any additional environmental benefit
-
While plastic liners may seem less eco-friendly, their use within a controlled and efficient system ensures they are managed responsibly and contribute to energy recovery. This approach balances environmental impact with operational effectiveness
How can I get more liners?
We’ll give you one roll of liners to begin with. After that, you can buy more from most supermarkets or online shops.
You can also use things you already have such as bread, salad or cereal bags.
We currently have no plans to offer discounted liners. However, we’ll continue to review this as the scheme is rolled out.
Do I have to use a caddy liner?
No, using a liner is optional. You can place food waste directly into your kitchen or outdoor caddy.
If you don’t use a liner, it’s a good idea to wash out your caddies with warm, soapy water to keep them clean hygienic. Try using the end of your washing up water for this.
Can I request an assisted collection for food waste?
If you're already receiving assisted collections, your food waste caddy will automatically be included in this service. You do not need to do anything.
If you're not currently on the assisted collection service but need help putting out your food waste caddy, you can request an assisted collection.
How big are the two caddies?
-
The kitchen caddy is 5 litres
-
The outside caddy is 23 litres
To give you an idea, most of our wheelie bins are 180 litres.
What if I don’t produce any food waste?
Don't worry about how little food waste you have as every bit counts. The best thing we can do with our food is enjoy it but some leftovers like banana peel, tea bags and bones are unavoidable and can all be recycled.
What if I already compost at home?
You can continue to compost. You can use your food waste collection for non-compostable items such as bones, fats and dairy.
Composting is a great way to reduce food waste and create nutrient-rich soil. Learn more about composting
Do I have to use the kitchen caddy you provide?
No, you can use your own kitchen caddy if you like. But you must use the outdoor food waste caddy given by us. This is made to work with our collection service and keeps your waste secure.
How is Redbridge Council paying for this?
Under the new Simpler Recycling reforms, food waste collection is becoming a statutory service. To help with this, central Government has given funding to us. This funding covers costs such as new collection vehicles, food waste containers and staffing for dedicated collection crews.
Can I return my food waste caddies if I don’t want them?
No. We’re required by law to provide every household with the equipment needed to collect food waste.
The caddies must stay at your property, even if you choose not to use them right away.
There will be more information coming out over the months to answer any questions you may have about the new service. If you’re unsure, why not talk to a friend or family member who is using the scheme to answer any questions you may have?
