PEOPLE still need convincing of the need for food waste collections, the Worcester Green Party has admitted.

Councillor Neil Laurenson, Worcester’s lone Green city council politician, says he faces a massive challenge to see the collections introduced because many households are wary of change.

It comes despite more than half of all councils in England now offering food waste pick-ups, as well as in the whole of Wales.

As your Worcester News revealed this week, the city council is preparing an in-house report about the pros and cons of giving homes a third bin just for food waste.

The Worcester Green Party has already produced its own briefing document on the move which suggests it would help the environment and reduce costly landfill, but admits that some people do not like doing it.

The last big change to Worcester’s bin collections was eight years ago, in 2005, when the alternating fortnightly pick-ups for recycling and general rubbish were introduced.

Coun Laurenson said people need time to adapt and accept any changes “People need to be convinced about this, absolutely – it’s a massive challenge for us,” he said.

“People are generally wary of change and will be asking what’s in it for me, will it make my life easier and so on.

“Half the country is already doing this and the whole of Wales. The fact that so many other councils offer food waste collections means we don’t have to start from scratch, we can learn from them. We know we’ve got to get the public on board and need to use the opportunity we’ve got now to convince people.”

The party’s report says an extra collection for food waste would lead to less households filling their general rubbish bin completely, giving them more space.

It also says it would reduce landfill costs, saving on hefty taxes and boost the environment as food waste can be recycled into compost or fertilizer, or used to generate heat and power.

Food waste collected around the UK is increasingly sold to heat and power plants and there are three currently operating within a 30-mile radius of Worcester.

The first big debate over introducing food waste collections in Worcester will take place during a scrutiny committee meeting at the Guildhall in October.

Related articles: