Weekly food waste collections in Luton will start from 31 March 2026. This is part of the government’s new simpler recycling scheme.
Around 35% of the household rubbish that is thrown away in Luton is food waste.
Collecting it separately:
- reduces waste and greenhouse gases
- turns food into fertiliser and renewable energy
If you live in a house
If you live in a house, you'll receive:
- one small blue kitchen caddy for you to collect your food waste
- one larger blue kerbside caddy to be emptied every week by the crew
On collection day:
- put your outdoor caddy out by 6am
- make sure the handle is upright as this locks the lid and helps the crew
- once your caddy has been emptied, you should return it to your property promptly to prevent it from being lost or blown away and don’t leave it on the street between collections
If you live in a flat
If you live in a flat, you'll receive one small blue kitchen caddy for you to collect your food waste.
A larger communal food waste bin will be provided where your other bins are stored for you to empty your caddy into when full. The communal bins will be emptied weekly by the crew.
Food waste caddy deliveries
Our crews will start delivering the caddy packs from February 2026 onwards. It will take a few weeks to deliver all the caddies.
Store your food waste caddies until collections start from 31 March 2026.
Keeping your caddy clean
You can use any type of bag to line your kitchen caddy. Alternatively, you can line your caddy with newspaper, paper towels or kitchen roll.
What to put in your kitchen caddy
In your caddy pack, you'll have a leaflet which you can stick on your kitchen caddy to help you remember what food waste you can recycle. Here's a list of what we can and can’t collect.
We can collect
- fruit and vegetables – raw, cooked and peelings
- dairy products such as cheese and yogurt
- eggs and eggshells
- raw and cooked meat and fish
- small poultry and fish bones
- leftover food from your dishes and plates
- bread, cakes and pastries
- rice, pasta and cereal
- tea bags and coffee grounds
We cannot collect:
- large bones
- packaging
- liquids, oils or liquid fat
Incorrect items will result in your caddy not being emptied.