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What happens to my food and garden waste?

Find out how we dispose of your food and garden waste.
Easter Bank Holiday waste collections

Monday 10 April to Saturday 15 April. Usual service will resume week commending Monday 17 April. 

All refuse and recycling collections will take place one day later than normal due to Easter celebrations.

Standard collection day Revised collection day 
 Monday 10 April Tuesday 11 April 
 Tuesday 11 April Wednesday 12 April 
 Wednesday 12 April Thursday 13 April 
 Thursday 13 April Friday 14 April 
Friday 14 April  Saturday 15 April 

Make sure your bins are out for collection on your revised collection day. 

As of 4 April, food and garden waste is collected separately as part of a new Food and Garden Waste contract with East London Biogas. Both collections will still be made on your usual collection day, but at separate times. You can find out when your usual collection day is on our website.

Separate collections mean that the 7,000 tonnes of food waste produced by Lewisham residents every year – equivalent to over 550 double-decker buses – can be sent for anaerobic digestion, which turns waste into energy for local homes and fertiliser for the agricultural sector.

Food waste that arrives at the plant is separated from its bin lining and pumped into an anaerobic digestion tank where it produces a biogas that is converted into energy. The digested waste also produces a digestate fertiliser which can be used on local farms to help grow crops.

Lewisham’s garden waste is turned into compost at the plant. You can sign-up for a garden waste bin or renew your subscription on our website.

Find out what you can and can’t put in your food waste bin.

If you have any questions on how we manage your food and garden waste, please contact us at recycle@lewisham.gov.uk

Contact

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