Swindon Borough Council has taken another step towards building a more sustainable town by launching its food waste recycling scheme across flats, beginning with a pilot involving 500 homes from today (9 June).
This latest expansion follows the introduction of food waste collections to houses 18 months ago, which has already seen over 1,873 tonnes of food waste collected in 2025 alone. With clear plans to include all 11,000 flats in the Borough by March 2026, the Council is aiming to ensure that more residents can do their part in reducing unnecessary landfill and supporting local agriculture.
The pilot phase will help determine how best to roll out the service in larger communal living blocks, with 12 locations taking part including properties in Freshbrook, Penhill, Ramleaze, Rodbourne, Toothill, and Westlea. The food waste collected will continue to be sent to Codford Biogas, where it is turned into fertiliser and green energy.
Councillor Chris Watts, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said:
“I’m pleased that we’re now able to begin rolling out our food waste service to those people living in flats, ahead of the national deadline. This will help improve our overall recycling rate locally, as more residents join our efforts to build a greener Swindon.”
The Council’s own analysis earlier this year found that 52 per cent of Swindon’s general household waste is recyclable, with over a quarter of that made up of food waste – much of which could be diverted into this new service.
Councillor Watts also pointed out the cost savings involved:
“For every tonne of waste that is recycled rather than put into residual waste streams, this saves residents of Swindon over £100 per tonne.”
He added that reducing food waste at source could make a big difference to both the environment and people’s wallets. Creating a weekly meal plan and only buying what’s needed are two simple ways residents can help.
The Council is urging people to recycle food waste including vegetable peelings, stale bread, meat and fish. A helpful online tool, the Waste Wizard, is available to guide residents on what can and cannot be recycled.
As the trial begins, Swindon takes another meaningful step forward in reducing its environmental footprint, one banana skin at a time.
