Residents still putting their food waste in with the rest of their rubbish may find themselves faced with a sticker on their bin.
Swindon Borough Council has shared an image of what the sticker looks like on social media and explained that they would start to be put on household wheelie bins across Swindon.
The sticker, which is in bright red text, says 'No food waste please', before adding 'Remember to use your food recycling bin.'
This follows a localised trial that was carried out specifically in the West Swindon area, which the local authority says worked.
It has been claimed that since the stickers were used, food waste recycling increased in the area by 11 per cent.
A Council spokesperson added: "Since food waste collections were rolled out across the borough, we have collected more than 21,000 tonnes of food waste from Swindon households.
"Every peel, crust and leftover that goes into your food waste caddy instead of the general waste bin helps cut landfill, reduce carbon emissions and create green energy and compost."
Councillor Chris Watts, the cabinet member in charge of waste collections in the town, previously told the Advertiser that between February 2025 and February 2026, contaminated recycling or food waste with other waste was put out 20,000 times.
In these instances, refuse collectors don’t take it, but leave an explainer leaflet for the householder with the contaminated container.
He added: “There have been no fixed penalty notices issued in relation to waste presentation/contamination in the last 12 months.
“With waste presentation issues, we try to focus on education and communication rather than fixed penalties as a means of encouraging positive behavioural change.
“Only in extreme cases or in cases where all other avenues have been exhausted would we issue FPNs for incorrect presentation of waste, with FPNs more typically reserved for littering and fly-tipping offences.”
Last year, nearly 500 tonnes of food waste were collected by the council from Swindon households.
It is understood to cost the council £140 per tonne of waste that is not recycled and sent away to be treated, so every tonne of food waste collected saves that amount of money.
It also makes a smaller amount, about £15, for every tonne of food waste it sends to Codford Biogas near Warminster for processing.
This meant that the 500 tonnes of waste benefited the council and taxpayers in the borough by generating more than three-quarters of a million pounds.
Share