FAQs
A silver 5-litre caddy designed for use in your home and;
A green 23-litre bin designed for outdoor use;
A silver 5-litre caddy designed for use in your homes and;
A 140-litre wheelie bin located in your bin store for communal use.
Why are you running this service?
Mid Sussex residents have been telling us that they want food waste collections and in response we are offering a different collection service. We also know residents are increasingly concerned about the impact of food waste on the environment.
We will be using the information and feedback we gather to plan for a roll-out across the District. Our aim is to reduce the amount of food waste in household rubbish bins and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
To date our current service participants have recycled 62% of their waste (on average) so we know the service is successful in diverting waste from landfill.
Will I get more bins?
Households included in the service will get two new bins for food waste:
Those living in flats will be given new bins for food waste:
You will continue to use your existing blue-lidded wheelie bin for dry recycling and your black wheelie bin for rubbish that cannot be recycled.
Can I opt out of the service?
No. It's important to take part. You can give us feedback and let us know about your experiences. If you want any help or guidance on how you can fully take part in the service, please contact a member of the waste team here: https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/forms/?form=55701&w=1
How do I use the weekly food waste collection service?
Store your silver kitchen caddy in a convenient place in your kitchen and place your cooked and uncooked food waste into the caddy, instead of your kitchen bin.
Whenever you need to empty your caddy tip the contents into your green outdoor container or communal food waste bin.
Present your green outdoor container at the boundary of your property by 7am every week on your collection day. Try not to tuck the caddy behind your other bins but make sure it is visible, so our collection crews can easily see it.
If you wish to line your food waste caddy, we recommend using compostable liners or newspaper but it is not obligatory. We don’t supply compostable liners.
You can purchase compostable liners from most supermarkets and local stores, or you could use old newspaper to line the bottom of the caddy instead. If you choose to use compostable liners, please check they are compostable or have a code EN 13432. This means they comply with the right standards.
If you choose not to use compostable liners, we recommend giving your indoor and outdoor caddies regular cleaning to remove any residue left behind. Please do not use plastic liners, bread bags, sandwich or storage bags, carrier bags or any other plastic (even if it states it is recyclable).
If you choose to line your caddy or bin with compostable liners, these can be purchased from most large grocery stores such as Co-op, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco, or Waitrose. Other retailers such as Robert Dyas and more local convenience stores will also stock compostable caddy liners.
Please note - We don’t endorse any particular brand or supplier, but please ensure you check the liners are compostable, have a certification code EN 13432 or the compostable liner logo pictured below. We will not empty food waste bins presented with plastic inside the bin or used as liners.
What can go in my food waste?
Cooked and uncooked food waste can be recycled using the service, including:
✔ meat - including bones
✔ fish and shellfish
✔ dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt
✔ cooked and uncooked vegetables and fruit including peelings
✔ bread, cakes and pastries
✔ rice, pasta and beans
✔ uneaten plate scrapings
✔ tea bags and coffee grounds
✔ eggshells
✔ solid fats
✔ pet food
✔ mouldy and out-of-date food
Please remove all plastic and packaging from food waste before putting in your caddy and bin. Remove any foil, clingfilm or plastic and please use to not use plastic to line your caddy or bin and use compostable liners or newspaper.
✖ packaging of any sort (e.g. packaged ready-meals, clingfilm or plastic film lids)
✖ non-food products or materials (e.g. bamboo or compostable cutlery)
✖ oils and liquids (e.g. used cooking oil)
✖ animal waste and bedding
✖ Garden waste such as cut flowers
I live in a block of flats; how does my food waste get collected?
The collection crews will visit your bin store every week using a special, smaller food waste collection vehicle. We will be lining communal food waste wheelie bins with compostable liners and these will help keep the wheelie bins clean. This liner will contain any food waste and be removed when the bin is emptied each week. A replacement liner will be put inside the food waste wheelie bin once the bin has been emptied.