Residents across County Durham are joining hundreds of local authorities across the UK in a national food waste collection scheme.

Each household in the county will receive an external caddy and an internal caddy to go in the kitchen, which will be collected weekly.

Organic waste such as banana skins, tea bags, coffee grounds and plate scrapings can all be recycled in the food waste caddies.

The new scheme is being spearheaded by the government to help standardise waste collections across the UK and improve national recycling rates.

Residents across County Durham are joining hundreds of local authorities across the UK in a national food waste collection scheme.

placeholder image — Residents across County Durham are joining hundreds of local authorities across the UK in a national food waste collection scheme.

Food waste makes up one third of the average household waste bin and can now be recycled.

In a statement, Durham County Council said: “Food waste that is collected for recycling will be processed using a process called anaerobic digestion. This converts the collected food into renewable energy.

"This bio fertilizer can be used in farming and the biomethane gas produced can be used to power homes and local communities.”

The service is at no additional cost to residents, who will automatically receive caddies over the coming weeks – if they have not received one already.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed that members of the South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership, which includes Sunderland City Council, Gateshead Council and South Tyneside Council, have been granted an extension until 2039.

This is due to each authority already having a long-term arrangement in place for the processing of household waste, including food waste, that complies with the government’s objective of diverting biodegradable waste away from landfills.