TAVISTOCK residents have proved themselves to be keen users of the food waste collection service, a recent survey has revealed. A massive 75% are using the service, which has just entered its second year. More and more householders are wrapping their food waste in newspaper before putting it in their caddies, instead of using bought corn starch bags. Using newspaper is just as effective. The importance of the collections, which have just been extended to include Okehampton residents, has been highlighted by a recent report from Waste Resources and Action Programme (WRAP) UK. It found that the average UK household throws away £420 worth of food each year, and every tonne of that waste is responsible for 4.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions. Cllr Chris Jenkins, chair of West Devon Borough Council's environment and community committee, said: 'It is vital that we continue to divert food waste away from landfill and into the biogas energy from waste plant —why? Food waste — or Biodegradable Municipal Waste, BMW, to use the government acronym — is a principal producer of methane, a greenhouse gas up to 70 times more potent than CO2. 'I encourage all residents who can to fully exploit this newly extended service in West Devon. 'Wrapping food waste in old newspaper instead of the special corn starch bags is just as acceptable and effective in storing the food waste properly prior to its collection." Andrew Barron, West Devon's recycling education officer, said: 'The WRAP report provides evidence to back up the need to make changes to the way we manage our food. 'The "love food, hate waste" campaign this summer will help deliver creative ideas to help us be less wasteful, avoiding the need to throw so much away.'
