We all put our bins out, but how many of us actually stop to wonder where our rubbish goes once the bin lorry disappears? Alistair Wood, Senior Performance & Improvement Officer for Waste Services at Lincolnshire County Council, came along to give us the inside story — and it turned out to be surprisingly fascinating.
Alistair took us on a journey through Lincolnshire’s waste and recycling system, explaining what happens to the different things we put into our bins and, importantly, what we shouldn’t be putting in them!
We learned about the new food waste caddies being introduced across Lincolnshire. Rather than sending food waste with our general rubbish to be burnt for energy, separately collected food waste is taken to an anaerobic digestion plant, where it is turned into renewable energy and fertiliser.
And here’s a fact that might make you look at your next banana skin rather differently:
One banana skin can generate enough energy to charge your phone twice!
Alistair also explained what happens to our paper, cardboard and other recyclable materials, as well as the common “No Thank You” items that accidentally find their way into the wrong bin.
And just to be absolutely clear — no, that does not mean you can put your next-door neighbour’s overgrown bushes in your general waste bin! Sadly, there are limits to what even Lincolnshire’s waste service can cope with.
It was a great reminder that there is a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes after we put our bins out, and that getting our waste into the right bin really does make a difference.
Who knew that putting out the bins could be so interesting?