Council to check black bins for food waste after ‘disappointing’ response to brown bin scheme

Derry City and Strabane District Council is to check black bins for food waste after what it described as a “disappointing” response to the brown bin scheme. Thousands of pounds was spent issuing brown food waste bins to households in the city almost two years ago – but it has been revealed that only half of them are being used. The food waste collection service was launched in January last year by the "old" Derry City Council with a total of 24,000 bins issued to households in Derry. By April 2017, all households within the council area will be provided with the brown food waste caddies. However, it has emerged that only half of the people issued with the bins are using them. The figure emerged at a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Environment and Regeneration at which Conor Canning, Head of Environment with the Council, described the figure as “disappointing.” He said a number of new measures would have to be carried out by Council to encourage more people to use the bins, including banning food waste from black bins. Mr Canning said “stickers” would be placed on all bins and collection crews would be advised to carry out regular checks for food waste. “If you have a brown bin, then there’s no reason for food going in the back bin,” he added. He added that in order to address the lack of usage, council needed to embark on an information and awareness scheme to advise people of the benefits of food and green waste collection services.