About 50,000 households received new food waste bins and caddies earlier this year and after a shaky launch which saw bin deliveries delayed, Darlington Borough Council has thanked residents for embracing the scheme.
A spokesperson for Darlington Borough Council said: “Thank you to everyone who has been recycling their food waste – thanks to your efforts, hundreds of tonnes of waste have been diverted from landfill.
“It doesn’t matter how little food waste you have – every tea bag, egg shell and potato peeling makes a difference.
(Image: Chris BOOTH)
“One lorry load of food waste generates enough electricity to power 20,000 TVs for an hour.”
The service uses anaerobic digestion to turn waste into biogas, which can be used to generate electricity, heat and transport fuel. Leftover produce is used as fertiliser and to regenerate land.
The Government-backed scheme aims to boost recycling and cut contamination.
However, the rollout was delayed by supplier problems and funding concerns.
(Image: Supplied)
After initially being scheduled to arrive on doorsteps in March, the caddies were eventually dropped off in June. Despite the controversy, the council says residents’ efforts are already making a difference.
Nearby authorities, including Stockton and County Durham, have faced similar problems.
Some branded Stockton’s rollout “chaos”, while County Durham struggled to secure bins and vehicles.
One resident, Jo Neesam, said: “Really good idea. It’s so much better.
“It doesn’t attract vermin or flies. If you’re doing it correctly.
“Never had a problem. Only thing the handle to fasten the bin does come off a lot after emptying.
“It’s no different to scraping in your normal bin and it helps the environment.”