Extent of city's food mountain revealed
Almost half of all waste placed in the city’s household wheelie bins is food – that’s the shock finding from new research carried out by Birmingham City Council
A two-week survey of a sample of bins in May and June of this year revealed that 48 per cent of waste within ‘residual’ (household/black lid) bins was food.
The findings are being used as the catalyst for the second phase of the council’s Zero Hero campaign, launched in September as part of the effort to ensure that the city sends no waste to landfill by 2031.
Cllr Lisa Trickett, Cabinet Member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment, said: “I was shocked when I heard the results of our survey – Birmingham really is home to a food mountain that doesn’t need to exist.
“It has certainly made me think twice about what I put into my bin as there is no reason to throw perfectly good food into our bins and there are certainly other options like composting for peelings and scraps.
“There are a wide range of campaigns and initiatives such as Love Food Hate Waste that look to tackle this issue as it has been previously reported that the average household throws out £700 in food per year*, but I am sure these new figure will act as a wake-up call to all Brummies.
“Through our Zero Heroes campaign we will be doing all we can to educate and engage so citizens and business can consider how they can minimise their own food waste.”
To find out more on the Zero Heroes campaign and how you as a resident, business, school or community group can play a part, please visit: www.birmingham.gov.uk/cleanerbrum
Notes:
*The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has produced a range of resource on the value of food waste thrown away on average by households.
