Food waste pilot scheme for homes in Morpeth, Bedlington, Pegswood, Hebron, Longhirst and Ulgham gets the green light

The trial, being carried out as part of a drive to combat climate change and improve recycling rates, was agreed by Northumberland County Council’s cabinet on Tuesday.

It is set to begin in September with separate weekly food waste collections being provided to around 4,800 households.

Homes in parts of Morpeth and Bedlington will be invited to take part, along with properties in Pegswood, Hebron, Longhirst and Ulgham.

These areas have been selected as they offer a representative cross-section of the different households and property types in the county, and are also close to the collection operations base in Morpeth.

Two of these trial areas are already currently participating in a glass recycling trial and their data will be particularly important if both trials are to be extended countywide in the future.

Householders selected for the trial will receive a letter and collection timetable in early September, and a small kitchen caddy along with a 23-litre bin will be delivered the following week. Weekly collections will start soon after with a specially procured vehicle designed to collect food waste.

Collections will be taken to an anaerobic digestion plant where micro-organisms will break down the food waste.

Cllr John Riddle, cabinet member responsible for waste management and recycling said: “I am extremely pleased that we are moving forward with the food waste recycling pilot scheme.

“We already encourage households to reduce the amount of food waste they generate, and we are now looking to ensure that any food waste that is produced is treated in the most sustainable way possible to reduce carbon emissions and help protect the environment.

"We hope that residents will embrace this new service as their feedback will be crucial both to shaping future provision and assisting us in achieving the council’s goal of net-zero by 2030.”

During the ten-month trial, participating residents will be asked for feedback. The weight of waste collected per household will also be monitored.

The pilot will also allow the council to evaluate the feasibility of offering residents in more isolated areas a food waste compost bin recycling option, where it may not be economically or environmentally practical to send a food waste collection vehicle.