Council has begun a three-month trial to collect people’s food scraps and turn them into compost.

Around 500 households in Queen Street East and West and Wereroa Road in Levin have been selected to take part in the trial.

Participants have been given a small collection bin for food scraps which will be picked up every week and taken to a company in Foxton to be processed into compost.

Council will make the compost available to schools in the district that are enrolled in theEnviroschools program.

The food scraps collection trial came about after community members said they wanted one during our Long Term Plan consultation last year.

‘This is an excellent example of Council listening to community feedback and responding,’ says Mayor Bernie Wanden.

The trial will be paid for by a $25,000 grant from the Government’s Waste Levy fund and won’t cost residents or participants anything.

About one third of the waste going to landfill from urban collections in our district is food scraps.

‘Composting is great,’ says Daniel Haigh, Group Manager Community Infrastructure.

‘It frees up space in your bin or rubbish bag and produces something which is good for the garden.’

At the end of the three months, Council will review how successful the trial has been, and elected members will vote on whether to implement food scraps collection throughout urban areas.

One factor in their decision will be that once the trial is over any future food scraps collection would have to be paid for by ratepayers.

Unfortunately there are not enough food scraps bins to give one to everyone in Queen Street and Weraroa Road.

‘But if you’re not part of the trial but would like to turn your food scraps into compost don’t worry,’ says Daniel Haigh.

‘You can find plenty of information about composting online, including on Council’s website. And don’t forget to have a look at our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.’

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