Brown Bin

The brown bin is for recycling your food waste. Food waste must be placed into your brown bin. After recycling your food waste any spare capacity can be used for small amounts of cold ashes and garden waste.

What can I put in my Brown bin?

Please help us to recycle more by putting the following items into your brown bin.     

Cooked and uncooked food waste including:                                                                                                                                  

• Meat & fish (including bones)
• Egg shells
• Fruit & vegetables
• Dairy produce including eggs and cheese
• Bread, cakes, pastry
• Beans, pasta, rice
• Tea bags & coffee grounds.                                           

Garden waste including:

• Grass cuttings
• Hedge trimmings
• Leaves
• Twigs and small branches
• Flowers, plants & weeds (no soil or plant pots).
• Please do not place your garden waste in plastic bags or liners.

We cannot accept soil, large branches, logs, wood, stones, rubble or animal bedding/waste in the brown bin. Please do not put any liquids or oils into your brown bin.

Recycle Right

If you aren’t sure what goes into your Brown bin, Black bin or Blue bin then click here to download our Recycle Right Guide for residents.

Brown Food Waste Caddy and Liners

Please place your food waste in the compostable bags provided. Do not use plastic bags or plastic packaging to store your food waste in the brown bin.

Compostable bags are currently available at all 10 of the Council’s HRC sites and at Greenbank Offices, Strangford Road Depot and Downshire Civic Centre.

PLEASE NOTE: One roll of compostable liners can be collected free of charge at any of the above locations (subject to stock levels).

Food waste can also be wrapped in newspaper before placing in your Brown Bin. 

Most supermarkets also stock compostable bin liners-make sure the liners bear the seedling logo and are 10 litres in capacity.

Helpful Tips For Your Brown Bin

• Rinse out your brown bin and caddie regularly
• How to Prevent Maggots/Flies in Bins

What happens to my garden and food waste after you've collected it?

Collecting and cleaning

We take your waste to a transfer station from your kerbside. All compostable material is bulked up and sent in larger lorries to an in-vessel composting facility to produce compost and soil conditioner.

Anything that cannot be composted is removed prior to transport e.g. plastic, clothing, metals and other domestic waste that have been incorrectly placed in the brown bin. This contamination may have to be sent to landfill which causes an unnecessary environmental impact. Additional costs for contamination also have a financial implication for the Council and for you the ratepayer.

Please don’t put these items in your brown bin - you should only use it for compostable garden and food waste.

Composting

During International Compost Awareness Week  each year the council provide free bags of compost via our Household Recycling Centres. During Compost Week in May 2023 over 3,000 bags of free compost were made available to householders/community groups across the district.

This Compost Giveaway recognises and rewards the efforts residents have made to use their bins correctly.

Contact Details

If you need any further information, please contact:

Waste Department Customer Services Section

Telephone: 0330 137 4047

Email: recycling@nmandd.org