Home and business owners in Limerick asked to be 'wise' with food waste

HOMEOWNERS and business owners in Limerick are being asked to use their bins wisely this National Food Waste Recycling Week.

Limerick City and County Council is calling on all households and businesses across the city and county to take action during National Food Waste Recycling Week, running from June 1 to 8.

This year’s campaign message is clear: “No Metal, No Glass, No Plastic makes your Brown Bin Fantastic!”

In Limerick, McDonnell Farms Biogas Ltd in Shanagolden, authorised by Limerick City and County Council, processes brown bin waste into renewable energy and fertilisers for use in agriculture and horticulture.

Helen Kenneally, environmental awareness officer with Limerick City and County Council, is encouraging everyone to get involved: “We’re asking all householders and businesses in Limerick to be ‘Brown Bin Champions.’

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“By saying no to brown bin intruders like metal, glass, and plastic, we can make a real difference. You can recycle raw and cooked food leftovers, eggshells, meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, and small amounts of fats, oils and grease but please do not include packaging of any sort. Clean food waste is a resource — let’s use it wisely.”

Food waste is a major environmental issue. When food is wasted, not only is the food itself lost, but also the energy, water, and transport resources used to produce and deliver it.

Worse still, if food waste ends up in landfill, it produces harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

By recycling food waste correctly and keeping contaminants like metal, glass, and plastic out of the brown bin, we can ensure that this waste is transformed into something valuable.