New waste and recycling plans announced during Food Waste Action Week

The week is the UK’s biggest annual food waste reduction campaign, running from 17 –23 March. This year’s focus is on getting more people talking about why buying loose fruit and vegetables is better.  Having the opportunity to buy loose fruit and vegetables means people can buy only what they need, and less food ends up in the bin.

A move to loose fruit and vegetables has the potential to save around 100,000 tonnes of edible fruit and vegetables from being wasted annually in people's homes, as well as saving 13,000 tonnes of plastic film.

Dudley Council’s wider waste and recycling plans tie in with the week, with plans to introduce a residential weekly food waste collection scheme from April 2026. Recycled food waste can be turned into natural forms of energy like biogas, or fertiliser/soil conditioner for farming.

The new waste and recycling scheme will include the weekly food waste collections, as well as simplified recycling. Residents will be issued with food containers for recycling food waste, along with a new wheeled bin, which will replace the current green bag and black box, making it easier to recycle plastic, cans and glass. For most residents more outdoor space won't need to be allocated at home.

Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said:

“Food Waste Action Week prompts us to think and talk about how we can all play our part to reduce food waste. We also thought the week was a great opportunity to launch our wider waste and recycling plans.

“We want to give residents a 12 month notice period of the new system coming along on 1 April next year and make it as simple as possible for every household to recycle as much waste as possible.

“The new scheme means that as a borough we will be able to recycle more than ever before, in the most convenient way for residents – with a simple system of containers and bins, collected straight from the kerbside.

“We are still working on the details of the new service and we will be keeping residents fully informed as our plans take shape. For now, people can find out more at www.dudleyrecycles.org.uk.”

More on food waste action week at https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/take-action-save-food/food-waste-action-week-0