Food waste recycling - FAQs
Frequently asked questions about food waste recycling and collections.
— How often will my food waste be collected?
— Why do I have to wait so long for my collections to start?
— Will my food waste bin be collected at the same time as my other bins?
— Are the new food waste bins and caddies free? When will they be delivered?
— My neighbour has received their new food waste bins, but I haven’t, what should I do?
— Why do I have to use a liner for my food waste?
— What if I run out of caddy liners?
— I’ve lost my food waste bin, how can I get another one?
— I have a very big family, and I need an extra food waste bin. Can I have one?
— Will the smell of food waste attract pests?
— How do I lock my food waste bin?
— Why should I recycle my food waste?
— What if I already compost my food waste?
— How will my food waste be recycled?
How often will my food waste be collected?
Once it starts in your area, your food waste will be collected every week on your usual bin day.
Why do I have to wait so long for my collections to start?
Food waste collections are being rolled out across the district in phases between October 2025 and March 2026. There are 7 new food waste rounds, and these will start at different times. All households will be receiving collections by the end of March 2026.
Will my food waste bin be collected at the same time as my other bins?
One the same day, yes, but not at the same time. Your food waste bins will be collected by a different vehicle at a different time to your other bins. This could be before or after your other bins are collected.
Please make sure all your bins are put outside for collection by 6:30am on your usual collection day, to avoid any of your bins being missed. If you usually like to bring your empty bins in as soon as the lorries have passed, you may need to wait until your food waste bin has been collected.
Are the new food waste bins and caddies free? When will they be delivered?
Yes, your first new kitchen caddy and outdoor food waste bins will be delivered to you free of charge. We will deliver them during the three weeks before your food waste collections start.
My neighbour has received their new food waste bins, but I haven’t, what should I do?
We will do our best to deliver the new bins to every household at least a week before their first food waste recycling collection. For some households it will be up to three weeks before.
Your new outdoor food waste bin (along with your kitchen caddy, starter roll of caddy liners and information leaflet) will be delivered on your usual bin collection day, up to three weeks before your first food waste collection. You can check when your food waste collections are due by searching for your address in the look up at the top of the page.
If your bin collections are usually on a Monday, for example, we aim to deliver your new containers on the same day in the 3 weeks leading up to your first collection. If we cannot deliver all the 'Monday' bins in one day, we will come back to complete the deliveries the following Monday.
If your first food waste collection is due this week and you haven’t received your bins, please call our customer service team on 0300 300 0013 or email customerservice@winchester.gov.uk so we can arrange a delivery for you.
If your first collection is more than three weeks away, don’t worry, your bin bundle will be delivered up to three weeks before your first collection is due.
Why do I have to use a liner for my food waste?
As you can imagine, raw food or food that has been left out of the fridge for several days could contain harmful germs. This is not dangerous to you if you properly tie up the bags and wash your hands after handling your bins (as you would normally).
To protect the crews who collect food waste, it must always be presented in a bag, such as a compostable liner, that is tied at the top. If food waste is presented without a liner, our crews will not be able to collect it.
What if I run out of caddy liners?
Caddy liners are available to buy at most supermarkets, and you can pick these up as part of your usual shopping. Alternatively, you can purchase compostable caddy liners online.
If you find that you have run out and don’t have time to go to the shops, you can re-use single use plastic bags like the bag your bread comes in, or the inside plastic liner of a cereal box. Likewise, if your local shop (such as some Co-Ops) provides compostable carrier bags, you are welcome to use these. Although these alternatives may not fit your caddy so neatly, they can help to keep you recycling before you buy your next roll of compostable liners.
I’ve lost my food waste bin; how can I get another one?
It’s important to label your bin as soon as you get it so that it can be easily identified and returned to you if it is moved or blown around by windy weather.
If you’ve checked around your immediate neighbourhood, asked your neighbours and you still can’t find it, we will provide a free replacement during the rollout period from October 2025 to March 2026.
Please call our customer service team on 0300 300 0013 or email customerservice@winchester.gov.uk so we can arrange a delivery for you.
I have a very big family, and I need an extra food waste bin. Can I have one?
The council would like to help you to waste less food rather than giving you an extra food waste bin. If you need help, please email recycling@winchester.gov.uk and someone will be able to visit you and discuss how we can help.
Hampshire County Council’s Smart Living webpage has some information that could help you to waste less food and there are some great tips on the Love Food Hate Waste website.
You can also visit Hampshire Kitchen Heroes and download their app that rewards you for taking steps to reduce your food waste such as:
- Shopping smart by making meals plans and lists
- Keeping your food fresh for longer by improving your storage
- Getting creative to make the most of your leftovers
Will the smell of food waste attract pests?
If you recycle your food waste separately, it will be collected every week - more often than if you leave it mixed with your general waste (every two weeks). Both your kitchen caddy and your outdoor food waste bin have a locking handle to stop unwanted animal visitors from getting to your food waste.
Recycling food waste in the containers provided should reduce pest activity, because the bins can be kept locked and are emptied more often.
How do I lock my food waste bin?
Both your kitchen caddy and outdoor bin have lockable handles. You can move the handle to the forward position to lock it.
When the handle is in the upright position for carrying, this also secures the lid in the locked position to avoid spillages.
Why should I recycle my food waste?
Food waste is a huge global problem which we can help to tackle at the local level.
By recycling food waste by anaerobic digestion (AD) we can cut fossil fuel use because we don’t have to burn the waste anymore. If food waste ends up in landfill, it releases harmful greenhouse gas into the environment – which we can avoid by recycling instead.
The by-products of AD are used to generate clean, renewable energy and heat. The left-over material from the digestion process (digestate) is rich in nutrients, so it can be used as a natural fertiliser for our local farmers.
Every bit of food waste that is recycled will make a difference, no matter how small. For example, recycling 6 tea bags makes enough energy to boil a kettle for another cup of tea and a full kitchen caddy can make enough energy to toast 8 slices of bread.
We all want to protect the environment and recycling food waste from home is a good way to play our part in dealing with the climate emergency.
Another great reason to recycle food is that you will be able to see exactly how much you are wasting every week and make changes to help you and your family waste less food and save money.
What if I already compost my food waste?
Composting is great way of recycling food waste. So if you can compost some of your food waste at home, you can carry on doing so.
Some things that cannot be composted at home, such as meat and fish bones and solid dairy products, can be recycled with anaerobic digestion. Even if you only recycle a small amount – every bit can be used to create helpful byproducts like biogas and nutrient rich fertiliser.
Recycling just two tea bags through anaerobic digestion can create enough electricity to fully charge a smartphone.
How will my food waste be recycled?
Your food waste will be sent to an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility. AD is a natural process where plant and animal materials (biomass) are broken down by micro-organisms in the absence of air. The AD process begins when biomass is put inside a sealed tank or digester.
This produces a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, known as biogas, which is then upgraded for use as a source of heat, electricity, or transport fuel. The remaining material from the digestion process (digestate) is rich in nutrients, so it can be used as a fertiliser by local farmers.