By demoduck.co.uk editorial desk
Bexley households will see new stickers added to general rubbish bins over the next couple of months as the London Borough of Bexley urges residents to separate more food waste for recycling.
The message, “food’s not rubbish so let’s recycle it”, is being placed on general waste bins by council crews. It is a reminder that food waste should go in the borough’s free food waste box, not the normal rubbish bin.
What Bexley residents should do with food waste
Residents can use Bexley Council’s free weekly food waste recycling service for cooked and uncooked food. The council says households can order a free kitchen food waste recycling caddy and an outdoor food waste box if they do not already have them.
Food that can go into the service includes:
- cooked and uncooked leftovers
- bones and fish skins
- tea bags
- coffee grindings
- other everyday food scraps
The collection is weekly, and the waste is turned into green power for local homes. According to the council, recycling six teabags can create enough energy to boil water for another cup of tea.
Why stickers are being added to rubbish bins
The stickers are designed as a visible prompt at the point where residents throw waste away. Bexley Council says around 30% of the waste currently going into general rubbish bins is food waste that could instead be recycled through the free weekly service.
The council has already introduced other measures to increase food recycling, including extending the weekly service to flats above commercial premises.
Processing food waste separately is also cheaper than treating it as general rubbish, and the council says it is more energy efficient to dispose of it this way.
Residents following waste service changes elsewhere can also read our coverage of bin collection changes in West Northamptonshire.
Bexley’s recycling rate has been improving
Recent annual recycling figures from DEFRA show Bexley performing strongly on overall recycling, according to the council. Cllr Rags Sandhu, London Borough of Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Culture and Leisure, said residents had helped the borough improve faster than many London neighbours.
The council is asking households to check what can be recycled, order the free food waste containers if needed, and use the weekly collection for food scraps that are still ending up in general rubbish.
Source: London Borough of Bexley
Source check Source trail
This article is based on a London Borough of Bexley public notice about food waste recycling stickers and the free weekly service.
- Checked the council’s stated rollout period for stickers on general rubbish bins.
- Matched the practical service details to the council notice, including free caddies, food...
- Kept DEFRA recycling figures in context as council-reported annual recycling data.
- Separated council claims about cost and energy efficiency from independent analysis.
- Source
- London Borough of Bexley
- Scope
- London Borough of Bexley
- Updated
- 2026-05-29 16:54
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