All councils in England are required to collect food waste separately to support the government's plan to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The food waste service is government-funded.
In Lincolnshire, about a quarter of all waste is food waste. Separating food waste enables recycling through anaerobic digestion. This process breaks down the waste to form biogas, which can be used to generate electricity, heat or transport fuels. It also produces fertiliser, which can be used in local farming.
Recycling your food waste can also help you to save money and lessen your environmental impact.
Participation
There is no charge for the service, and the introduction of the service will not effect how much you pay for council tax. Equipment will be delivered by your local council. All households receive:
- a small five litre grey indoor countertop caddy
- a black 23 litre outdoor caddy with an orange lid to present at the kerbside each week
- an initial supply of caddy liners (liners will make the process easier and keep your caddies clean)
- an information leaflet
Collections
Collections have started, or will start:
- City of Lincoln - March 2026
- North Kesteven District Council - March 2026
- West Lindsey District Council - March 2026
- South Kesteven District Council - April 2026
- Boston Borough Council - October 2026
- East Lindsey District Council - October 2026
- South Holland District Council - November 2026
Food waste will be collected weekly on your usual bin collection day. Collection schedules may vary during holidays and bank holidays. Updates will be provided by the council who collect your waste in advance.
If you already have an assisted collection for your other bins, this will be the same for your outdoor food caddy.
If refuge crews find that your food caddy contains the wrong things, they will not be able to collect it. Instead, they will leave a hanger on your caddy to explain the problem and what you need to do.
All food waste must be contained in the outdoor caddy to be collected, as anything left to the side of it will not be collected. To prevent animals from getting into your caddy, please ensure the lid is closed and the handle is positioned in the forward position to lock the lid when it is left kerbside.
Other waste collections
Your local council will still empty your general waste if it contains food waste, but we encourage you to seperate your waste wherever possible.
Please do not put food waste into your garden waste bin. In Lincolnshire, garden waste is composted outdoors using a process designed for grass cuttings, leaves and plants which is not suitable for food waste.
Home composting is also a great way to recycle food waste, but you can still put food waste in your caddy that can't be composted, such as cooked food, meat and fish, dairy products, bread and small bones.
You can still take food waste to your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC), alongside other non-recyclable waste, but it will not be recycled. You can find your local HWRC here.
Caddies and accepted waste
Only one of each caddy type per household will be provided.
To keep your caddies clean, we recommend washing both with hot soapy water, white vinegar or disinfectant regularly. Your indoor caddy can also go into your dishwasher, if you have one, up to 60°C. Empty your indoor caddy into your outdoor caddy regularly to avoid odours. Your outdoor caddy will be collected weekly.
You will receive a roll of indoor caddy liners. Once these run out, you can buy more from most supermarkets, or, you can use old bread bags, plastic shopping bags, newspaper or kitchen roll. The anaerobic digestion facility food waste is sent to will remove all liners at the start of the process. Please remove any packaging from your food before putting it into your caddy.
If you would prefer not to use your indoor caddy, or you do not have space for it, you can use your own container, like an old ice cream tub, or put food waste in a liner and straight into your outdoor caddy.
Accepted waste
Most of your food waste can be put into your caddy for collection, including:
- raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones and shells
- fruit and vegetables, including peelings, raw and cooked
- dairy products (cheese, yoghurt)
- eggs and eggshells
- bread, cakes, and pastries
- rice, pasta, and beans
- plate scrapings and leftovers
- tea bags and coffee grounds
- loose pet food (dry or tinned)
- small amounts of sauces, gravy, and custard
- oil and fats used in cooking and soaked up by other food
Please do not include food packaging, liquids or other non-food items such as plastics, metals or glass.
Even small amounts of food waste add up, so even if you're only recycling banana peels, tea bags, or crusts of bread, you could be surprised by how much you produce. Every bit of food waste recycled can make a real impact.
Caddies containing incorrect materials will not be collected.
Reducing food waste
The food waste collection service will help you to:
- save money
- reduce your environmental impact
- make sure the energy used to produce, transport, and store food doesn't go to waste
Practical advice
You can visit the Food Standards Agency website to learn more about food labelling, including the differences between best before, use by and expiry dates.
The Love Food Hate website offers a number of online resources, including:
- recipes and tips on how to use up your leftovers
- guidance on checking your fridge temperature to ensure your food is stored correctly
- a food portion calculator to make sure nothing goes to waste
- information on how to store a wide range of foods, including meat and poultry
You can view food waste myth busting advice at the BioteCH4 website.