RECYCLING your food waste could help Somerset save £1 million, it has been revealed.

Earlier this week, your Leveller revealed how around 16,000 tonnes of food waste was not recycled or reused due to being placed in the incorrect bin.

Most households in Somerset have – or are entitled to – special food waste bins and caddies for their leftovers, which are collected from the kerbside each week for recycling and either converted into renewable energy, or to create fertiliser.

Now, Somerset Council has revealed that around a million pounds could be saved if residents recycled every scrap of food waste instead of binning it.

READ MORE: Why aren’t more Somerset people recycling their food waste?

“Currently, too much unwanted food is finding its way into general waste and that costs money to deal with effectively,” a spokesperson said.

The data came as the council teams up with its collections contractor, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK (SUEZ), to encourage every household to make the most of their food waste recycling service.

“Recycling food waste is a much cheaper, and greener, way to dispose of food waste as it avoids the costly fees associated with sending it to Energy from Waste – the process used to recover the energy from what’s thrown out in general waste bins,” the spokesperson added.

“Their research shows that seven out of 10 households in Somerset regularly put their food waste out for recycling. But 16,000 tonnes a year is still going into the rubbish bin, that’s three meals a week per household.

“What’s even more shocking is that 7,200 tonnes of this food waste has been discarded in its packaging so Somerset Council and SUEZ are asking everyone to rethink their actions.”

READ MORE: Environment news from your Somerset Leveller

Councillor Richard Wilkins, executive member for transport and waste services, said: “Recycling food waste, is cleaner, greener and more convenient.

“You may think that you’re a recycler, but the average household throws about 56kg of food waste in their general rubbish bin every year. That’s the same as one kitchen caddy full every week.

“Small actions can make a difference. Just six recycled teabags can create enough energy to boil the kettle for another cuppa. Even if you have just a small amount of food waste, it’s still worth recycling – and doing so you can help us to save more than a million pounds.”

And Matt Canning, contract director for SUEZ, added: “None of us likes to waste food that we have worked hard to provide for our families; but if we do have to throw it away, we want to encourage a more circular economy where we think of what we throw away as a commodity.

“In Somerset, food waste that’s collected at the kerbside is recycled by anaerobic digestion in the county. The anaerobic digestion facility turns food waste into renewable energy and fertiliser.”

Residents that need a new or replacement kitchen caddy or food waste bin can do so via the Somerset Council website.