From the week commencing 30 March 2026, weekly food waste collections will begin for City of Lincoln residents.
It comes as part of a county-wide rollout under the Environment Act 2021, which requires all councils across the country to collect food waste separately. The scheme is therefore being introduced across Lincolnshire, but not all districts will start at the same time as Lincoln.
Currently, food waste makes up around 26% of Lincolnshire’s general waste and is incinerated at the Energy from Waste plant. By separating food waste and placing it in a separate caddy for collection, it will go to an Anaerobic Digestion plant, where it will be used to create green energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser for agriculture, therefore cutting reliance on fossil fuels and supporting local farming.
This change supports the UK’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050 and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Caddies for residents’ food waste will start to be delivered from 23 February 2026. Each household will receive a small 5-litre indoor kitchen caddy with an initial roll of 52 liners, and an information leaflet on how to use the service.
Those households who currently have their own wheeled bins for recycling will also receive a 23-litre outdoor caddy with an orange lid. This is for the food waste collected in the kitchen caddy to be placed into, for kerbside collection.
Households served by communal bins, such as flats, will have access to a communal food waste bin.
Both the kitchen and the kerbside caddies have lids that can be ‘locked’ to prevent odours escaping or pests getting access.
Weekly food waste collections will take place on the same day as the usual wheeled bin refuse/recycling collection, regardless of which bin is out, but at a different time by a dedicated vehicle.
Even if you compost at home, there are many items that can’t go on a compost heap, but which can be taken by this service.
Please use your caddy for:
- All uneaten food and plate scrapings
- Meat and fish (raw or cooked), including bones
- Dairy products
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Rice, pasta and beans
- Bread, pastries, and cakes
- Raw/cooked fruit and vegetables, including peelings
City of Lincoln Council hopes residents find this service easy to use, and beneficial to see how much food is being wasted.
Cllr Rebecca Longbottom, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place at City of Lincoln Council, said:
“Introducing weekly food collections is a change I’m very much looking forward to. As a council, we are proud to support our residents in recycling more efficiently and helping to protect the environment.
“The scheme has already been successfully rolled out in other counties and has been warmly welcomed. I hope our residents embrace it too and recognise the positive difference such a simple change can make. Together, we can turn waste into something useful and make Lincoln a cleaner, greener city.”
For more details, including what can go in your food waste caddy and tips for keeping it clean, visit www.lincoln.gov.uk/foodwaste.