Mid Devon District Council has launched a campaign to reduce the amount of food waste generated.

In Mid Devon, food waste placed in blue kerbside caddies made up 13% of all of household waste placed out for collection in 2023/24; up from 12% the previous year. While 1% may not sound like a lot, in real terms that increase is 4.49kg of extra food wasted on average per household each year.

This doesn’t take into consideration food waste that is misplaced into recycling boxes and black bins.

Councillor Josh Wright, Cabinet Member for Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement, said:

“Councillors visited the waste collection depot earlier this year and took a look inside a number of black bags, many were shocked at the amount of food waste that could have been placed in a blue food caddy as well as the amount of recycling that could have been placed in a recycling box.

“It is hoped that by tackling the initial problem of generating food waste that the Council can help to reduce the amount of misplaced waste and cross-contamination. In turn, this will also lower the district’s carbon footprint, improve recycling rates and make the waste element of Council Tax less expensive for Mid Devon residents.”

The average Mid Devon household now wastes 92.8kg of food each year, meaning the Council collects a total of 3,493 tonnes of food waste each year – equivalent to the average weight of 200 fully loaded double-decker buses.

There are a number of ways to reduce the amount of food waste you put out for collection, including planning meals, composting – read more on the Council’s website.

Food waste is a significant global issue, with one-fifth of all food produced going to waste. Food loss and waste also generates up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – almost five times the total emissions compared to the aviation sector.

The Council aims to raise awareness and provide actionable solutions to help individuals reduce their food waste and promote sustainable living. To further support sustainable practices at home, consider ordering an additional kerbside food caddy to help store food waste, and reduce contamination within refuse and recycling.

Residents can now watch a short video of the Council’s waste and recycling process