MID Devon District Council is asking residents to keep food waste out of their black bins.

The local authority estimates around 2,600 to 3,000 tonnes of food waste is still being placed in black bins in the district each year, accounting for around 25 per cent of the waste in black bins.

The numbers come from a food waste study which was carried out from June to August across parts of Tiverton, Cullompton, Crediton, Sampford Peverell and Newton St Cyres.

Around 1,500 properties were monitored during a three-week period, with more than 200 household identified as not putting out their food waste caddy.

Councillor Josh Wright (Lib Dem, Silverton) said: “There is a huge opportunity to save valuable food waste from going into our black bins.

“We want everyone in Mid Devon to recycle their food waste, whether that’s through home composting or our kerbside collection.

“Keeping food waste out of the black bin helps reduce costs and our impact on the environment.”

New grey kitchen food waste caddies are available for residents to request through the council’s website.

The council will also be making caddies available from Phoenix House and its leisure centres, with plans to work with town and parish councils and other community locations to make them as accessible as possible.

Any organisations that could offer a suitable location for residents to collect caddies from are encouraged to contact the council at [email protected].

The council is looking to roll out the scheme in other parts of the district and looking at further steps for encouraging more residents across Mid Devon to recycle their food waste.

For more information on recycling food waste, including guidance on what can go in your food waste caddy, visit the council’s website.