The weekly service will start in Bradford from autumn 2026 under the Government’s Simpler Recycling legislation.
Bradford Council will begin delivering outdoor food waste bins, kitchen caddies, liners, and information leaflets to households across the district from the end of this month (August).
Councillor Ian Walker, portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and communities, said: “Every household will be given the opportunity to separate food waste, and we hope that people will get into this new routine.
“Using food waste bins will reduce the amount of waste going into general waste and means it can be repurposed for energy or fertiliser.”
Both the caddy and outdoor bin have lockable lids to keep out insects and pests, as well as reducing odours.
Acceptable items for the food waste collection include plate scrapings, raw and cooked vegetables (including mouldy produce and peelings), coffee grounds, tea bags, bones, meat and fish, grains and pulses, bread, pastries, cakes, dairy products, eggs and eggshells, unwanted pet food and ready meals past their use-by date (with packaging removed).
Food waste will be collected weekly on the same day as existing waste and recycling services.
Once collected, the waste will be processed using anaerobic digestion, a process that breaks down food using microorganisms.
This will produce biogas—a renewable energy source—and digestate, a nutrient-rich fertiliser used on farmland.
Residents are reminded not to include packaging, liquids, garden waste or oil in the food waste bins and should continue to follow Bradford’s existing recycling guidelines for all other materials.
Those who already compost at home can continue to dispose of fruit and vegetable peelings, teabags, coffee grounds, garden waste, and crushed eggshells in their compost bins.