New trial in Ashurst Wood, Burgess Hill and Lindfield recycles 120,000 kilograms of food waste

Since September 12 last year residents in parts of Ashurst Wood, Burgess Hill and Lindfield have been provided with weekly kerbside collections of food waste.

This trial is being delivered Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council.

MSDC deputy leader John Belsey, who recently saw the trial in action in Burgess Hill, said: “We’ve around 3,000 households in Ashurst Wood, Burgess Hill and Lindfield helping us to test out a new 1-2-3 waste collection system, which includes the separate collection of food waste from the kerbside.

“Our aim is to work with residents to boost recycling and to reduce the amount of general waste produced. Residents in the trial areas have really embraced the new system and on behalf of the council I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to you all.”

Councillor Belsey said nearly 90 per cent of households in the trial area are taking part in the scheme.

He said: “The total dry recycling and food waste recycling rate for the trial areas is currently a fantastic, which is a very significant improvement on the non-trial areas. By collecting our food waste separately we can ensure it’s being put to good use.”

He said that once it is collected it is taken to a specialist facility and placed in an anaerobic digester. This uses gas produced by the food breaking down to generate energy. The leftover material is then used in agriculture.

Councillor Belsey said: “A lorry load of food waste can generate enough renewable energy to power 20,000 televisions for an hour.”

He added that the District Council would continue to take residents’ feedback onboard.

Residents living in the trial area were given a free lockable food waste recycling bin and a kitchen caddy. People in flats with communal bins received a kitchen caddy and a new food waste bin for their bin

stores.

Residents could also opt-in to a free weekly collection of Absorbent Hygiene Products.

The ‘1-2-3’ collection system includes: 1) weekly food waste collections, 2) fortnightly recycling collections and 3) three weekly general refuse collections. Visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/123collections