Food waste collections

Food waste collections in Redcar and Cleveland

Your new food waste recycling service will be collected on the same days as your household and recycling bins every week.

Your first food waste collection will be dependent on your current collection day:

• Tuesday Collections – Tuesday 14th April 2026
• Wednesday Collections – Wednesday 29th April 2026
• Thursday Collections – Thursday 14th May 2026
• Friday Collections – Friday 29th May 2026

Sign up for bin day reminders for all your bins to ensure you never miss a collection.

If we need to change your collection day for any reason, we will inform you directly via post.

For further information about the government's plans and simpler recycling please visit: 

• Simpler Food Waste
• Gov.uk: Resources and waste strategy for England
• WRAP: The Business of Recycling

More information is also available at Gov.uk: Consistency in household and business recycling in England consultation - government response.

Why is the Council introducing a separate weekly food collection?

From April 2026, councils will be required to collect food waste from all homes on a weekly basis as part of new Simpler Recycling legislation. The change is part of the government's plan to make it easier for residents to recycle, improve recycling rates and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste is estimated to contribute 8-10% of global man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Food waste is currently the largest single material found in residual waste bins, making up approximately 37% of all waste collected from householders’ general waste. Collecting food waste separately on a weekly collection will ensure that it is recycled.

Currently, around half of English local authorities provide a food waste recycling collection, but this will be new for Redcar and Cleveland.

What bin will I get?

You will be provided with two food waste bins, a small kitchen caddy (5 litre) to keep inside and a larger food waste bin (23 litre) for you to keep outside. You will also be provided with compostable liners to use in your food waste kitchen caddy.

How do I get a food waste bin? 

Food waste bins will be delivered free of charge to every household within Redcar and Cleveland. We will provide more information on when you should expect your food waste bins closer to the delivery date.

When will the food waste collections start?

Collections will commence in Spring 2026, we will provide more information on when you should expect your first collection closer to the time.

What can I recycle in the food waste bin?

You can include all food waste from your home, including leftovers from meals, food that has gone past its use by date, and any other food waste from your kitchen, including the following:

• fruit - raw and cooked
• salad and vegetables - raw and cooked
• vegetable and fruit peelings - including banana skins, cherry stones etc
• tea bags (including the bag) and coffee grounds
• bread, cakes and other baked goods
• pasta, rice, beans and pulses
• meat - raw and cooked, bones
• fish/shellfish - raw and cooked, including bones and shells
• eggs and egg products (including eggshells)
• dairy products (including cheese and yogurts)
• tinned and dry pet food
• small amounts of gravy, sauces or custard left on food
• any meal or take-away leftovers.

What can't I recycle in the food waste bin?

Please do not put any of the following in your food waste bins: 

• liquids such as milk and oils
• packaging
• cardboard
• foil
• plastic film or plastic bags
• glass
• other recycling
• garden waste

Will the kitchen caddy smell?

Using the kitchen caddy for food waste is no different to having food waste in your current kitchen bin. The kitchen caddy has a lid which will help contain any potential smells. We will also provide you with liners to use in in the kitchen caddy, this will help to keep your bin clean.  You can empty the kitchen caddy into the external food waste bin as regularly as you wish to prevent smells in your kitchen.

Will the outdoor bin attract wildlife and how do I stop them getting into the bin?

The food waste will be collected in a 23-litre container, specifically designed to be pest and fox-resistant, featuring a self-locking lid to help prevent access.

Why should I recycle food waste?

Food waste makes up over a third of the average household waste bin. Recycling food waste also means less waste is sent to incineration. Instead, it is taken to a specialist facility where it is recycled. By recycling food waste, you'll have less items in your black rubbish bin and it'll be cleaner.   

Do I have to use the food waste bin?

No, you do not have to recycle your food, but by doing so you are helping to reduce the amount of household waste in your rubbish bin. It is also much better for the environment.

What happens to the food waste?

Food waste that’s collected for recycling will be processed using anaerobic digestion (AD). AD involves the breakdown of biodegradable material to produce a source of renewable energy. 

This is broken down to produce biogas which can be used to generate electricity and heat, and as vehicle fuel. A further by-product of AD is a digestate which is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements required for healthy plant growth and fertile soil which can be used by farmers as a soil fertiliser.

How can I find out more about food waste collections?

We'll be delivering more information to every household in the town, closer to the time. 

Our website will also be updated as and when more information is available alongside our social media pages.

We have an eNewsletter that you can sign up to here: Resident Newsletter

If you've got more questions, please come along to one of the below drop-in sessions and our officers will be more than happy to help: