There are 400 Abbotsford households taking part in our weekly food scraps collection trial.

Helen Sheppard's household is one of those. We provided Helen with a dedicated food scraps tub in November 2017 and she has been placing it out for collection each week alongside her other bins.

The tubs can accommodate fruit and vegetable scraps; bread, rice and pasta; seafood and meat (including small bones); dairy and eggs (including shells); and coffee ground.

“We have a little tub under our sink and when it’s full it goes to the food scraps bin outside. It’s just really easy,” she says, “and it’s amazing to see the amount that your rubbish reduces as a result.”

Helen and her fellow participants are helping to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. When food goes to landfill it generates methane - a potent greenhouse gas - so avoiding this is a big win for the environment.

Results from the trial have been encouraging, with around 50% of eligible households already using the service. Just as importantly, contamination rates have been very low, showing that residents are paying close attention to what can and can’t go in the tubs.

The program will soon be expanded to include additional households, with some homes receiving mixed food scraps and green waste collection service.

Learnings from the trial will help us improve our waste services for Yarra as a whole.

Click here to learn more.