Council thanks households for embracing new food waste recycling service

Residents across the Lancaster district have shown a strong appetite for recycling their food waste, with households recycling the equivalent of 63 double decker buses in just four months.

Lancaster City Council introduced its new weekly food waste collection service in February. Since then, more than 885 tonnes of food waste has been collected by crews.

The new weekly service makes it easier for residents to recycle everyday items such as fruit and vegetable peelings, leftovers, tea bags, and bones that would otherwise have been sent to landfill or incineration.

All of the food waste that is collected from homes is transformed into fertiliser to support local agriculture and will soon be used to create biofuel that will generate renewable energy.

Councillor Paul Hart, Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “On behalf of the council, I’d like to thank everyone who recycled their food waste and encourage anyone who hasn’t yet started to get involved.

“This small change really can make a big difference. By sending less waste to landfill, there is more money to spend on other services, more space in grey bins, and we are helping to return valuable nutrients back to the soil.”

Residents will be pleased to learn that the council will provide additional caddy liners without charge. Households can either tie an empty liner or bag to the handle of their food waste bin on their collection day for crews to resupply or visit the town halls in Lancaster or Morecambe during opening hours.

For more information about the service, please visit our food waste webpage.
 

Last updated: 18 June 2026