Food waste scheme

Important information

The food waste scheme is only available for Lewes District Council residents. It is not currently available to Eastbourne residents. Food waste cannot be recycled in a standard household recycling bin.

Service update

Food waste collections will continue to take place on the same day as refuse collections, but will now be collected at different times due to our food waste collection crews having their own all-electric collection vehicles. Please leave both your food waste bin and refuse bin in a clearly visible spot outside their property by 6am on collection day, both bins should remain outside until they are emptied.

A third of the rubbish in an average household bin is food waste. Joining our food waste recycling scheme can reduce your impact on the environment, and help you to save money on your food bill by cutting down on waste. You can even recycle cooked food scraps, meat, and dairy.

Alternatively, composting at home can help reduce the amount you throw away. You can find advice on East Sussex County Council's composting page, including tips for avoiding pests, deals on purchasing home composting equipment, and even a guide to build your own.

We normally aim to deliver food waste recycling equipment within two weeks of signing up, but deliveries are taking longer at the moment. Please bear with us while we deliver your food waste recycling equipment as quickly as we can.

Join the scheme now

Free compostable caddy liners

Lewes District Council are offering every household free compostable caddy liners for recycling food waste. If you are joining the food waste recycling service then your starter kit will already include a free roll of liners.

When you need your next roll of liners you can pick them up from any of the following locations (please check opening times before visiting):

What do I get when I join the service?

A small caddy to go in your kitchen with a roll of liners to get you started
A separate bin to go outside next to your refuse bags or bins

How is my food waste collected?

We collect your food waste at the same time as your refuse collection. Please leave your food waste bin, with the handle locked in the upright position, next to your refuse bins or bags by 6am on your bin collection day.

What can I put in my caddy?

The following materials can be recycled as food waste:

meat and fish: raw or cooked - including bones
fruit and vegetables: raw or cooked
all dairy: cheese and eggs, including shells
bread, cakes and pastries
rice, pasta and beans
coffee grounds, including paper filters
paper towels
animal bedding sawdust
house plants and cut flowers

How to use your food caddy

Line your caddy with a compostable liner or newspaper and fill it with food waste. Please do not use plastic bags, even bio-degradable ones do not compost.
When it is full tie the liner (or wrap up the newspaper) and put it in your own food bin or communal food bin. Please empty your caddy regularly.
Lock your outside bin by keeping the handle in an upright locked position. This will keep it secure from animals and birds. Please do not put loose food into the bin especially if you are using a communal food waste bin.
Put your food waste bin (with the handle in the upright locked position) out for collection by 6am with your normal rubbish.

Where can I buy caddy liners?

Using a compostable liner will keep your food waste tidy and contained making handling easy for both you and the collection crews. Compostable liners decompose along with your food waste but if you prefer you can use newspaper to line your caddy instead.

You must only use compostable liners which display the seedling logo and reference number EN13432. Even liners labelled as "bio-degradable" do not break down entirely and cannot be composted.

Although we offer free caddy liners, you are welcome to purchase your own if you'd prefer, you can normally buy compostable liners at the following places:

Most supermarkets
Other local stores may stock liners
GetComposting.com
From websites such as Amazon

Tips to make it clean and easy

To keep your food caddy clean, regularly empty it into your outside food bin and use a compostable liner. Alternatively you can line your caddy with newspaper.

You can put your food caddy into your dishwasher or give it a rinse after washing up. We empty your outside food bin weekly and it has a lockable lid which stops smells getting out and any animals getting in. Keeping your outside caddy clean will also help prevent smells or mould developing.

What happens to your recycled food waste?

After we collect your food waste we take it to the Woodlands In-Vessel Composting Facility in Whitesmith to be recycled into soil conditioner and fertiliser which is then used by farmers and gardeners in the district.

You can find out more about how your food waste is recycled by visiting Veolia and watching their short film.