Campaign launched in Derry to encourage households to boost recycling

Derry City and Strabane District Council has launched a new campaign this week to encourage households across the district to make the most of their brown bins – and help keep food and garden refuse from going to waste.

As part of the rollout, stickers are being placed on bins to remind residents of what belongs in the brown bin. Items such as food leftovers, fruit and vegetable peelings, bones, eggshells, ashes, teabags, coffee grounds, grass cuttings, flowers, twigs and even torn-up pizza boxes can all be put to good use when disposed of properly.

Most households should now have a brown bin, and Council is encouraging residents to use them correctly and recycle as much organic waste as possible.

Highlighting the campaign, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairí McHugh, said: "This campaign is about making recycling simple and showing how even small changes can make a big difference.

"When we separate our food and garden waste at home and put it in the brown bin, it’s turned into compost that goes back into our local community. That compost supports landscaping projects, helps our parks and flowerbeds thrive, and contributes to a greener, more sustainable district."

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It’s also important to remember what not to put in the brown bin. Plastics, metals, and glass contaminate organic waste, and even a small amount can prevent an entire load from being recycled.

By recycling right, residents are not just cutting down on waste sent to landfill, but also helping to create a circular economy where waste is transformed into something useful.

"It’s a really small step," the Mayor added. "But by using our brown bins properly, we all have the power to turn something wasteful into something fresh, useful, and green."

For more information on what goes in your brown bin, click here.