Food Waste Pilot Survey (2009)

AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF FOOD WASTE SYSTEMS: 4260 residents of the 15 trial areas were interviewed four to six months after the commencement of the pilot. The 13 Bio Basket areas (3624 interviews) and the two Kitchen Caddy areas (636) were all represented in proportion to their respective sizes - Awareness of the food waste systems was almost universal – 97%. - Whereas there was widespread awareness that fruit and vegetable scraps can be placed in the food waste systems (77% of those aware of the system) and half were aware that mixed food scraps are allowable, awareness that other types of food waste can be included was lower: Fruit, vegetable scraps 77% - Leftovers – mixed food scraps, processed food etc 50% - Tissues, paper towels 38% - Meat scraps 30% - Tea bags, coffee grounds 25% - Bones 24% - Egg shells 22% - Bread, cereals 14% - The vast majority of respondents - 86% - were correct in saying that the food waste from either system should go in the green organics bin. A further 3% correctly identified home composting as another option. (These figures exclude the 3% not aware of the trial at all). - Awareness levels were slightly lower in Kitchen Caddy areas.