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  2. Environment and the outdoors
  3. Waste and recycling

Food waste

Find out what you have to do with your food waste, how to cut your food waste and what types of food waste can be recycled.

What to do with your food waste

There are two ways you can dispose of food waste in your home or workplace:

  • some of it can be composted at home
  • all food waste except liquids and fats can be recycled by your council (or at your workplace, by the waste contractor)

You should never put food waste:

  • into your general waste bin
  • down the drain

Food waste in landfill doesn't harmlessly rot away. It creates methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide. 

Cutting your food waste

You can find tips on how to cut your food waste on the Love Food Hate Waste website.

  • RecyclenowNI
  • Storing food safely - 'use by' and 'best before' dates

Composting food waste

You can find out what kind of food waste can be composted and more tips on composting on the following page:

  • Composting and disposing of garden waste

Recycling food waste

Most local councils will give homes and workplaces a recycling bin (or caddy) to sit in your kitchen - and biodegradable bin liners for it on a regular basis.

You can put the following food waste in your caddy:

  • meat and fish - raw or cooked, including bones and skin
  • fruit and vegetables - raw or cooked
  • all non-liquid dairy products
  • eggs including shells
  • bread, cakes and pastries
  • rice, pasta and beans
  • uneaten food from your plates and dishes
  • tea bags and coffee grounds

You cannot put the following waste in your caddy:

  • liquids
  • oil
  • liquid fat

You should not include food packaging in your food waste caddy. Council waste collectors may consider your food waste bin as ‘contaminated’ and refuse to take its contents. Instead you should dispose of it properly, recycling it if you can.

  • Waste and recycling

Food waste collections and new liners for your caddy

You can line your caddy with newspaper or biodegradable liners. Visit your local council website to find out how they collect food waste for recycling and if they offer food waste caddies and liners.

  • Find your local council

More useful links

  • Five food waste myths busted
  • UN Sustainable Development Goal 12
  • Food Loss and Food Waste
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Waste and recycling

  • Bins and waste collection
  • Carrier bag levy
  • Carrier bag levy retailer registration login
  • Disposal and composting of garden waste
  • Disposal of a vehicle at the end of its life
  • Disposal of bulky items
  • Disposal of hazardous waste and electrical items
  • Food waste
  • Recycling and reusing
  • Report waste crime

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