Recycling highlights food waste

A leftover slice can now be recycled

Households in Belfast are throwing away about 4kg of food every week, according to the local council.

It follows the results of a pilot scheme aimed at encouraging people to recycle kitchen scraps.

The initiative, which saw food waste from 7,000 homes collected, has proved so successful it could be extended to other parts of the city.

More than 40 tonnes was collected by Belfast City Council over the course of six weeks.

The scheme has helped boost recycling rates to their highest ever in the city (27%), but also highlighted just how much food households are throwing away on a weekly basis.

Councillor Cathal Mullaghan, chairman of the council's Health and Environmental Services Committee, said there had been an increase in recycling in general.

"Every day in the news we're hearing about the effects of the credit crunch and ways we can try to save money on household expenditure," he said.

"A recent report highlighted that we throw away approximately a third of the food we buy and this trial alone has shown that, on average, households are throwing away around 4kg of good food per week.

"So perhaps that will give people food for thought next time they're filling up their shopping trolley."

The food waste collection trial allowed people to recycle all food leftovers including meat and fish, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, bread, rice and beans, and tea and coffee grounds.

The trial is due to run until the end of September after which councillors will consider the possibility of extending the scheme to other parts of the city.