Weekly food waste and fortnightly glass collections begin in Luton

The new service allows residents in kerbside properties to recycle food waste using their kitchen and outdoor caddies. The waste will be taken to an anaerobic digestion facility, where it is turned into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser.

Residents should place their kerbside caddy out by 6am on their collection day, with the handle upright. This locks the lid and makes it easier for our collections team to empty the caddy efficiently. Food waste is collected by a separate vehicle, so the kerbside bin will be emptied at a different time from residents’ other bins. 

Alongside this, changes to glass recycling have also come into effect. Glass is now collected every two weeks instead of monthly and new glass recycling bins have been rolled out to flats across the town.

Residents are reminded that glass bins should only be used for glass bottles and jars. Items such as plastics, food waste or general rubbish should not be placed in these bins, as contamination can prevent recycling and delay collection.  

Councillor Ghulam Abbas, Portfolio Holder for Strategic Waste, said: “This is a big step forward for Luton. Food waste makes up a significant proportion of what’s thrown away in black bins, and this new service gives residents a simple way to recycle it, reducing waste and supporting a cleaner, greener town.

“We’ve also made improvements to glass recycling, with more frequent collections and new bins for flats, making it easier for residents to recycle more.”

We will be rolling out food recycling services to flats over the coming months, with further updates to follow. 

Find out more about food waste collections. Residents who do not have a food waste caddy or glass bin can request this via the council’s website.