Birmingham City Council says that ‘offensive’ food rubbish represents up to 40 per cent of the total waste in Birmingham and has considered collecting it separately. Weekly removal of the ‘smelly’ and ‘offensive’ food waste from bins across the city means the rest of the household rubbish would be picked up every three weeks.

A review conducted externally showed that fundamental improvements should be made, including replacing the vehicles and changing the timetables for bin collections.

Three main options are considered for rebuilding the trust of the residents, all of them mentioning the weekly collection of the food waste from bins. The first option means food waste will be collected weekly together with the household waste and other recycling items fortnightly. The second option would be a fortnightly household rubbish service after removing the food waste and the third option is a three-weekly service.

The Government is planning to make the weekly food waste collection mandatory within the local authorities by 2023. 

Phase two of the review made by Consultants Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions UK considering the options and the future impact is now due to start.

As stated by member of the cabinet for street scene and parks, Cllr John O’Shea, no change will be implemented without consulting the public first. ‘Some councils just take away uncooked food. I think we would go down the path of all food waste, so uncooked and cooked food and meat,’ affirmed O’Shea.

He continued: ‘It has to be disposed of in a different way and it goes to an anaerobic digester. Food waste works because it changes people’s behaviour.’

‘The change of the bin service improves the […] functioning of the system and makes people aware of the enormous quantity of food waste,’ said O’Shea.

He stated that although recycling is important, the biggest change will be seen in the consumption behaviour, buying less food and finding a way to re-use it. According to O’Shea, 1,000 tonnes of food waste are thrown each day and the new plan could reduce it to 300 to 400.

‘The actual smelly stuff you get rid of each week, I think if that wasn’t there what is left in your bin? Bits of plastic, stuff that has been in contact with food we can’t recycle,’ he stated.

There is no clear information related to what type of containers would be used when the plan will be implemented by the Council, but extra funding would be used to implement the service.

Birmingham City Council consulted other local authorities in the UK where the food waste initiative has been implemented, said Darren Share, Assistant Director for Street Scene. It had such a big impact on the bad consumption behaviour that some authorities stopped the food waste service because there was no food waste.