Sheffield councillors to vote on food waste recycling trial next week in bid to tackle climate change

Sheffield councillors are set to vote a food waste recycling trial next week that could help the city tackle climate change.
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Liberal Democrats council leaders, who initiated the campaign many years ago, said the vote will take place at next week’s Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee.

The trial, which will cover 8,000 households over 12 weeks, will see residents given kitchen caddies and food waste bags to collect their food waste before it goes off. The bags can then be put in a larger bin outside ready for weekly collection.

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Around 50 per cent of local authorities already have a food waste recycling scheme – and all authorities will legally be required to bring one in over the coming years.

Councillors Tim Huggan and Shaffaq Mohammed want to see doorstep food waste collections.Councillors Tim Huggan and Shaffaq Mohammed want to see doorstep food waste collections.
Councillors Tim Huggan and Shaffaq Mohammed want to see doorstep food waste collections.

This will be the first major decision by the Waste and Street Scene Committee chaired by Lib Dem Councillor Joe Otten.

If it is voted for, it will be a great victory for the Liberal Democrats as they have been calling for action on food waste for a long time to reduce methane emissions and help the city tackle climate change.

Coun Otten said: “Sheffield has a real chance to help tackle the climate emergency. When food rots it releases methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

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“Introducing food waste recycling is a relatively easy way to make a massive difference to our environment.

“The Lib Dems have tried to get Sheffield City Council to recycle food waste repeatedly over the years and I hope we get the backing from the other parties as well.

“Not only does kerbside food recycling mean we can stop thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere, but we can also use those gasses to create energy, it’s a win-win situation for Sheffield.”

Sheffield Lib Dems Leader Shaffaq Mohammed said: “Introducing food waste recycling is an easy way to make a massive difference. What other single decisions could the council make to take the equivalent of 86,000 cars off the streets?

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“As a city, we’ve set a goal to be carbon zero by 2030. That’s just eight years away! While it is a shame that the Council hasn’t introduced this sooner, it is better late than never. We all need to work together to tackle climate change.”