WEST Devon's environment and community committee has pledged a firm commitment towards continuing the trial food waste recycling collections in Tavistock, subject to additional funding being found. Since last April, town householders have been enthusiastically taking part in a 12-month pilot to recycle their cooked and raw food waste by collecting it in a separate container which is then picked up every week by a borough council recycling crew. The scheme is part of a small nationally funded study. The waste is currently taken to a special processing plant in Devon where it is treated and the final product can be used for a range of horticultural and land reclamation purposes. Since West Devon introduced the collections last April, more than 260 tonnes of food waste — equivalent to the weight of almost 20 London double decker buses — has been diverted away from landfill and recycled. Diverting waste away from landfill was a key priority in the council's initial decision to take part in the trial as rotting food waste produces carbon dioxide and methane — gases linked closely to global warming. The food waste trial is one of just 17 pilots being carried out by participating local authorities nationwide partly funded by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) which is financially supported by DEFRA. According to WRAP, households in the UK throw away 6.7 million tonnes of food every year, and accounts for over one fifth of domestic waste in West Devon. The environment and community committee was told last week that the WRAP funding for the West Devon recycling scheme comes to an end in late March. The committee voted unanimously to carry on with the scheme in principle, subject to sufficient additional funding being available. Council officers will now work towards bringing in further funding, some from outside organisations, hopefully to continue the service in West Devon.
