A refuse collector, known as a 'binfluencer' on social media, has issued two key pieces of advice for UK households using food waste caddies as part of the government's Simpler Recycling policy.
Keep Caddies Out of Direct Sunlight
In a widely shared video, Ashley urged residents to avoid placing their food waste caddies in direct sunlight on collection day. 'Please stop putting your food waste caddies directly in the sun the whole time,' he said. 'If it's outside your house, put it in the shade... because they cook the food inside them again and you open it up and there's flies, maggots and everything.'
Bag Food Waste to Reduce Odours
Ashley also advised bagging food waste before placing it in the caddy. 'If you're going to put food waste in there, then please bag it up,' he encouraged. 'Put it in a bag, even a newspaper is perfectly fine - anything like that.' He warned that leaving food loose would make the caddy 'stink forever'.
Following these two simple steps, Ashley concluded, would 'keep everyone happy' as the smell would disappear when the caddy is emptied.
Public Reaction Mixed
Despite the advice, many UK residents have pushed back. One person commented: 'Mine's in the sun most of the day. I'm not moving it around to the shade all day. It wasn't our idea to have caddies of rotting food lying about in our garden and kitchen.' Another added: 'Food caddy goes on my drive, sunny or not, its already a lottery on whether its collected so no way am I worrying about whether its in sun or not.' A third fumed: 'What are we supposed to do, keep running out and putting it in the shade? Did you know the sun moves?'
Government Policy Context
The Simpler Recycling policy, mandated under the Environment Act 2021, requires local authorities to provide weekly food waste collections to all households. The government states: 'Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste.'
