Since bright bin stickers were rolled out in the autumn, over 200 extra tonnes of food waste have been recycled in just 15 weeks.

Kent County Council has thanked the residents of Folkestone & Hythe and Dover districts, who have significantly boosted their food waste recycling.

Folkestone & Hythe residents recycled 14% more food waste, while those living in Dover district have increased their recycling by 11% compared to the previous year. Recycling food waste creates biogas and fertiliser, not only reducing the reliance on fossil fuels to power our homes but also bringing down chemical fertiliser use on farms.

It also uses less energy and is much less costly to manage than mixing food with general rubbish. Importantly, recycling food can also help households see what is not being used and take steps to reduce waste and save money themselves.

The great response to this campaign shows residents are keen to play their part in recycling even more. The stickers remind residents to use their caddies for food waste rather than binning it, while a free roll of caddy liners and tips helped encourage people to recycle more food waste.

This initiative is being rolled out more widely by Kent County Council working with local councils across the county, and stickers will hit bins in Canterbury and Maidstone this spring.

You can help support even more recycling across Kent by completing a short survey on your habits to inform future campaigns and services.

Tell Kent County Council about your bins for a chance to win one of five £50 shopping vouchers here!