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More and more people are recycling their food waste to create power

More and more people are recycling their food waste to create power

With over 80% of you now recycling your food waste, Wales is well ahead of the game. In fact, Welsh residents are the World’s third best recyclers. That’s amazing!

When recycled, your food waste is transformed into electricity to help power homes and communities across Wales.

All cooked and uncooked food including fruit and veg peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, plate scrapings and out of date food can go into your kitchen caddy.

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How many recycled tea bags would it take to power a typical home for one hour?

Select the right answer to power the house!

Correct! It takes 102 tea bags to power your home for one hour!
Sorry! That's the wrong answer! Please try again!
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How can my recycled food waste generate electricity?

When food waste is put into the general rubbish bin it often ends up in landfill, where it rots and releases methane - a harmful greenhouse gas. Most councils in Wales send their food waste to an ‘Anaerobic Digestion’ processing facility - which captures the methane and turns it into energy. You’d be amazed at what you can power just by recycling everyday items such as teabags and banana peels:

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Power Your favourite music

Whether you’re getting ready for a night out or cooking tea for the kids, do it to the sound of your favourite music. Just 5 recycled banana peels could generate enough energy to play Tom Jones’ Greatest Hits on your home stereo.

Find out about your local recycling service
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Power The housework

Yes that’s right, the housework! So grab yourself a cuppa and let the used teabags do the hard work. 22 recycled tea bags could power the hoover for a whole 10 minutes… just enough time to reward yourself with another tea break!

Find out about your local food recycling service
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Power Watching TV

How do you like them apples? Whether you’re making apple sauce for the Sunday Roast or just having a healthy snack, don’t forget to recycle the core. 52 recycled apple cores can power a TV for 1 hour – that’s this weekend’s must see TV sorted!

Find out about your local food recycling service
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Power A Friday night drink

Coffee grounds, veg peelings, egg shells, bones and food scraps can all be recycled. Put them in your food caddy and let them work their magic. A caddy full of food waste could generate enough electricity to power a fridge for 18 hours… more than long enough time to chill that bottle of wine or cans of pop!

Order a caddy

How to get started

Order your caddy & outside bin

Authority


Click for info

All councils in Wales provide a convenient weekly food recycling service. All you’ll need is a kitchen caddy, a food recycling bin and a roll of liners to get started.

Select your council area on the map to find out more about your local service and how you can join the 70% of people in Wales that are already recycling their food waste.

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Watch the video to discover how your recycled food waste is turned into electricity.

Click here to find out how you can start recycling your food waste.

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Related content

  • Your local food recycling service
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The Waste and Resources Action Programme (which operates as WRAP) is a registered UK Charity No. 1159512 and registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 4125764.

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