RESIDENTS in Chorley will soon be able to recycle all of their food waste as Chorley Council looks to introduce a new service in February to boost the borough’s excellent recycling rates.

Anyone with a brown bin will simply be able to start putting their food waste inside their bin and it will be recycled along with the green waste from your garden.

It is hoped the changes to recycling collections, brought about by the ability to recycle food waste at the Farington Waste Technology Park, will increase the amount of waste that is recycled.

Councillor Eric Bell, who oversees waste collection at Chorley Council, said: “Residents in Chorley do a fantastic job, helping us to achieve one of the best recycling rates in Lancashire.

“The introduction of food waste collections will be very straightforward as there will be no extra bins or containers and people can just put their food waste, wrapped in newspaper if they wish, into their brown bin.

“We’ve been running trials across the borough, which have proved to be successful and we hope as many households as possible will take part.”

The food waste collections will mean residents can recycle anything from out-of-date vegetables to fish and chicken bones, as well as leftovers from your meals.

All residents will need to do is take the food out of its packaging and place into the brown bin. The packaging can either go in the blue bin, if it is a can or plastic bottle, or in the green refuse bin.

“It’s surprising how much food does get thrown away because it goes out-of-date so this is not just about encouraging people to recycle their food waste, but also about educating people not to cook too much or buy too much in the first place,” said Councillor Bell.

“I’m sure residents will embrace this like they have with the blue bins, which has seen the borough’s recycling rates reach 48.5 per cent.

“We will provide more information to residents once the new scheme starts and all the details will be available on the council’s website at www.chorley.gov.uk/foodwaste.”

Residents without a brown bin will carry on as normal with their food waste going in their green bin.

People will be able to start putting their food waste in their brown bin from Monday 13 February.