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Food waste collection
Another improvement introduced by TOR2 is a weekly food waste collection to all residents in Torbay, to help them recycle up to 85% of their waste. Food waste currently accounts for 47% of Torbay's residual waste, so this is an easy way for residents to help increase Torbay's recycling rate.Recycling food waste is also beneficial to the environment; reducing harmful gases released into the atmosphere and pollutants released into the groundwater. It could also save the Council money. Residents who home compost can use this service to collect food they cannot compost, such as cooked food, meat and fish.
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 Yes Please Uncooked food Cooked food For example, meat and fish including bones, fruit and vegetable peelings and cores, dairy products and bread, rice and pasta |
 No Thanks Plastic bag liners Packaging Liquids/Oils Garden Waste Cardboard |
To ensure your food waste is collected, please leave your food waste:• out for collection on the same day as your recycling boxes
• out by 6am. The collections start early and pick up times may vary
• at the edge of your property, by the pavement. We cannot collect it if it is in a porch, side access, or behind a wall
• out for collection in the large storage bin, not in the small food caddy, as the caddy is not securable against animals
Please do not use a plastic bag as a liner. Plastic cannot be composted.
Keeping your caddy and bin clean and reducing smell:
• Try not to put too much liquid in with the food
• Keep the bin out of direct sunlight until collection day
• Try using liners; they can make the storage and transfer of waste food tidier and more convenient. You can choose between two kinds of liner, as follows:
1. Special compostable sacks/corn starch liners
You will have received a pack of free liners with your new caddy. These liners are made of cornstarch (GM free). They resemble a plastic bag but will compost completely. These liners will help you to transfer the food and keep in smells - they will also help to keep your bin and caddy clean. You do not need to use them however, as you can use newspaper or nothing at all.
If you do decide to keep using them after you have used your free liners they are available from TOR2 by calling 01803 207900 and the Household Waste Recycling Centre (Tor Park Road).
They can also be purchased from:
The Kitchen Shop, 3 The Strand, Torquay
The Handyman, 68 Pillar Avenue, Brixham TQ5 8LB
Marlon Post Office, Marldon Cross, Marldon, Paignton TQ3 1NE
Preston Post Office, 337 Torquay Road, Paignton TQ3 2EP
White Rock Post Office, 91 Goodrington Road, Paignton TQ4 7HZ
Brixham Post Office, 75 Fore Street, Brixham TQ5 8AG
Broadpark Post Office, 18 Roundhill Road, Torquay TQ2 6TH
When purchasing liners from other sources ensure they are marked with one of the logos which certify that products are 100% compostable and meet the applicable EU composting standard (EN13432).
The prices for replacement liners from TOR2 are:
| Quantity (per roll) | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Posted | £5 | £8.50 | £13 | £20 |
| Collected (HWRC) | £2.25 | £5.50 | £8.50 | £15 |
2. Newspaper as a degradable liner
You do not have to use any liner at all, but newspaper makes a great free compostable liner or wrapper. Either line your bin or caddy with one sheet of newspaper, or wrap food in a sheet of newspaper (like you do with fish and chips) and place it in your storage bin. This helps to keep the bin cleaner and the newspaper will be composted with the food waste.
Do not use plastic bags to line your bin, as they are not compostable, even bio-degrabable plastic bags, as these do not break down quickly enough and would end up in the resultant soil conditioner product.
Your new recycling and waste collection services leafletClick here to download the leaflet as a PDF
