Residents urged not to use plastic bags in green bins

RESIDENTS in Carmarthenshire are being warned not to use plastic bags in their green food bins – or they could be left behind.

Approximately 75,000 households now benefit from a weekly food waste recycling collection to stop it going to landfill.

However, householders are being reminded to only use compostable liners (this includes both paper and starch liners) in their green bins or use newspaper or kitchen towel to wrap their food/line the bins. Just look out for the compost logo or reference number EN13432 to tell if they are suitable.

Plastic or biodegradable bags should not be used because any plastic would contaminate the food which could result in the whole vehicle load going to landfill.

The council’s refuse/recycling crews have been instructed to tag and leave behind any green bins with plastic/biodegradable bags in them.

Dealing with our food waste is a priority as it makes up 30 per cent of the waste we needlessly throw away to landfill. When we throw food away in a black bag, it gets sent to landfill and releases methane – a powerful greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful than CO². This contributes to global warming and increases the threat of climate change.

In Carmarthenshire, we collect 119 tonnes of food waste a week on average – that’s the equivalent weight of 15 double-decker buses*! It is taken to a central composting facility at Nantycaws, Carmarthen, where it is turned into compost or soil conditioner.

The council’s waste services manager Hywel Thomas said: “If we don’t treat your food waste by collecting it from you, we are throwing away a valuable resource that can be made into to compost and used again on the land.

“Decomposing food waste in landfill sites also releases harmful gases into the environment that contributes to climate change. By simply making use of your green bin you can stop this waste going to landfill.”

For further information or advice or if you need a replacement green bin please call Carmarthenshire Direct on 01267 234567.  

*One double-decker bus weighs eight tonnes.