A food waste trial in Slough has saved more than £3,000 in disposal costs.

Slough Borough Council launched the weekly food waste collection trial on July 1.

In the first six weeks of the trial, more than 30 tonnes of food waste have been collected, saving the council more than £3,000 in waste disposal costs.

While a tonne of food waste costs the council £10 to dispose of, each tonne of general waste costs the council more than ten times the amount – at £120 each.

The council had to call for more people to take part in the trial after only a quarter of members participated in the first week of July.

Despite more success in following weeks, the authority is calling on residents of some trial areas to use their new food bins more.

These include parts of Britwell, Langley, Colnbrook, Chalvey and the Diamond Road estate.

The ‘Kit the caddy’ scheme is collecting food waste from five areas of the borough. The trial is being rolled out in the hopes that it could be extended across all of Slough.

Councillor Gurcharan S Manu, lead member for environmental services, said: “Our thanks go to the hundreds of residents who are taking part in the food waste trial – for not only doing their bit to help the planet, but also to help Slough with a cash saving with each tonne of food that is recycled.”

Cllr Manu urged residents in all trial areas to continue participating in the ‘easiest, fastest, cleanest and greenest way to deal with left over food’.