Council urges locals to cut their waste

This year the European wide key theme is food waste prevention and Banbridge District Council will be getting on board and encouraging everyone to “Love Food Hate Waste.”

Last year Northern Ireland was awarded a prestigious second place for waste reduction across the whole of Europe, and this year we hope to go even further by encouraging everyone to get involved for themselves by organising some fantastic local events for family and friends or by simply making your pledge to #DoOneThingDifferently.

Banbridge District Council has taken part in European Week for Waste Reduction for a number of years and believes it is a great way to raise awareness of the need for improving the way we manage our waste.

To get the ball rolling the council has pledged its support for the increasingly popular campaign with some actions of its own.

These include challenging their staff to have a Waste Free Lunch.

The Council is also keen to encourage residents to get involved for themselves by undertaking some of the simple actions available such as downloading the Love Food Hate Waste App and making one of the many recipes available through www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.

A spokesperson for Banbridge District Council is urging local residents to make use of their kitchen caddy and recycling bin.

He said: “Unfortunately there will always be an unavoidable amount of household food waste and we would encourage residents to use their kitchen caddy and then dispose of food and garden waste in their brown organic bin where the contents will go on to be recycled into compost.”

The Love Food Hate Waste campaign aims to help householders make the most of their food, and money, by making some simple changes to the way they manage their food.

Tips include writing a meal plan for the week before doing the weekly shop; checking the date labels on your purchases to ensure that you get the longest life from your product and even how to cook some delicious and tasty recipes using the bits and pieces from your store cupboard and fridge.

For more information on European Week for Waste Reduction or for a wide range of tips, information and a whole host of delicious recipes log onto the campaign website at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.