Blog

Ways To Recycle Food Waste

With National Food Waste Recycling Week just gone by, it is the perfect time for households to rethink and reduce the level of food waste generated in their homes. 
 
Food waste is transformed into renewable energy and fertilisers for agricultural use. Every tonne of food waste recycled instead of ending up in landfills can prevent about half a tonne of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. (Source: mywaste.ie) 
 
We at Barna Recycling would like to use this time to encourage and help all our customers to implement better ways to recycle food waste through our waste management tips and techniques, which will help households save money and reduce environmental impact. 

barna waste compost

Types of Food Waste 

According to the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (DCCAE), there are three types of food waste thrown out: 

  • 60% is Avoidable food waste– Plate scrapings, leftovers, gone off fruit and veg and passed its date perishables 
  • 20 % is Potentially Avoidable food waste – things like bread crusts, potato skins 
  • 20% is Unavoidable food waste– general rubbish such as banana skins, eggshells, and chicken bones 

Paying some attention to the food we waste and making minor changes to how we manage our food daily can help make a massive difference to our overall food waste and manage carbon emissions. 

food waste veg

 

 Top Tips to Minimising Food Waste 

Below we have outlined some of our top tips to help your household minimise and effectively manage food waste. 

  • Having an organic/food waste bin in your kitchen makes it easier to manage your food waste. You can use this bin to dispose of vegetable peels, eggshells, bones, leftover seeds, etc., while cooking and after. This bin, once full can be emptied into your Brown Barna Recycling Bin. Food waste in the brown bin gets treated and turned into compost. 
  • Paying attention to food waste: Many of us repeatedly waste the same foods. If you’re putting food in the bin, take a second to ask yourself – ‘Why did this end up as waste?’ once you know what foods you are wasting the most and why, you can identify simple actions you can take to avoid food waste.  
  • Try to reuse and re-consume as much as possible: As much as possible, try not to toss out any leftover food in good condition. You can always store that leftover lasagne you had for dinner in the fridge and reheat it again for lunch the next day.  
  • Get Creative: Try making an alternative dish with food almost near its expiry date. For example: Use leftover fruit to bake buns, cakes, crumbles, or other desserts. Bread that is going stale can be used for French toast, to make bread and butter pudding or as croutons for soup or salad. You can make hash browns or patties with leftover mashed potatoes. Click HERE and explore some fantastic recipes. We promise it won’t be long until you have a new favourite dinner! 
  • Plan your meals – Creating a meal plan for the week and meal prepping in advance can help you save time and get the most out of your produce. 
  • Shopping Smart: Be sure to check your fridge and cupboards in advance and list all the items you need before heading to the supermarket for your weekly or monthly grocery haul beforehand. Sticking to a list will ensure you effectively manage waste by reducing consumption and buying less. 
  • Home Composting – Composting at home is one of the best methods to dispose of food waste. As compost is rich in nutrients and great for your garden, shrubs, or even indoor plants. It is an excellent way to get the final use of your leftover food. You can have a read of our helpful composting guide here. 

home composting and food waste

 

Benefits of a Food Waste Bin 

Having a separate bin for food and organic waste (brown bin) is highly recommended for individuals and households. Using a kitchen top caddy lined with a compostable liner is one of the most effective ways to manage food waste efficiently and has many benefits, such as: 

  • It helps you be more conscious of food wasted  
  • Minimises the amount of food waste created  
  • The food waste in the brown bin can be composted to be used as high-quality fertiliser for soil 
  • The food waste can also be processed into renewable energy such as biogas which can be used to generate electricity 
  • Reduces your overall carbon footprint and saves money 

 

Barna Recycling’s Brown Bin for Food & Organic Waste

The Barna Recycling Brown Bin is specially designed for kitchen and organic waste. The waste in this bin is taken to our purpose-built composting facility with the capacity to manage 40,000 tonnes of organic waste annually. Here the waste is processed into compost for use as a natural, high-quality fertiliser for use by farmers and horticulturalists. 

barna video food waste

Watch this video from mywaste.ie on How to Separate your Food Waste 

 

What Can Go into My Brown Bin? 

  • Food Waste (Meat, Fish & Poultry cooked & uncooked) 
  • Leftover food 
  • Bread & Cereals 
  • All types of Pasta/Rice/Noodles 
  • Coffee Grounds and Filters 
  • Dairy – Cheese & Yogurts 
  • Fruit & Vegetables (Rotten & Peels) 
  • Tea Bags/ Tea Leaves 
  • Egg Shells Paper Towels/Napkins 
  • Organic Garden Waste 

What Cannot Go into My Brown Bin? 

  • Glass 
  • Metal 
  • Cans 
  • Clothes & textiles 
  • Oils 
  • Plastic Containers, wrappers, and bags 
  • Nappies 

Visit our website to view the complete list of items that can and cannot be put into your Brown Barna Recycling Bin. For more information on reducing your food waste, contact a member of our team on 091 771619.