27-05-2025
Food waste: Contamination remains a concern with brown bins
As Ireland marks its fourth National Food Waste Recycling Week, new research highlights both the progress made in brown bin usage and the ongoing challenge of contamination.
Over 200,000 new brown bins were rolled out nationwide since the start of 2024, bringing the total number of brown bin owners across Ireland to around 1.2 million.
However, a recent study of over 1,000 adults reveals that despite widespread brown bin usage, contamination remains a concern, potentially compromising the quality of compost and hindering efforts towards a circular economy.
Food waste
The research, conducted by Empathy Research on behalf of MyWaste, found that while the vast majority of people use their brown bin (84%), confusion and occasional haste can at times lead to incorrect items being disposed of in the brown bin.
33% of survey participants admitted to knowingly putting incorrect items in their brown bin, a figure that rises to 50% among younger adults (18 to 34 year-olds).
The research also highlights confusion about garden waste, with younger adults mistakenly believing stones and barbeque coals can be composted.
Other common items incorrectly placed in brown bins include general waste (32%), the plastic around vegetables (26%), soft plastics (24%), and food cartons (24%).
The primary reason cited for knowingly putting an item in their brown bin incorrectly was being in a hurry (38%), with lack of knowledge about what is accepted in the brown bin being the second most common reason (26%).
Brown bin
The brown bin service accepts all types of food including raw and cooked meat and fish, plate scrapings, along with fruit and vegetable peelings.
Other items that can go into the brown bin include food-soiled paper napkins, paper towels, greasy pizza boxes as well as grass clippings and light garden waste, including hedge clippings, spent compost, and dead plants.
To avoid contamination, remove all packaging from food waste and avoid adding large branches, stones, rubble, plastic plant pots, barbeque coals, or other non-compostable materials from your brown bin.
Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with responsibility for Circular Economy, Alan Dillon said he was pleased to see continued growth in brown bin usage across the country.
'By working together to reduce food waste in the first instance and minimise contamination thereafter, we can ensure that our food and garden waste is transformed into valuable compost, enriching our soil, supporting sustainable agriculture and reducing our carbon footprint,' he said.
Pauline McDonogh, resource efficiency officer at MyWaste, noted that 'contamination remains a challenge', despite increasing brown bin use.
This National Food Waste Recycling Week (June 1–8), is launching a new campaign to tackle this problem.
'Putting the wrong items in the brown bin can compromise the recycling process, reduce the level of compost produced.
'Let's all remember: 'No metal, no glass, no plastic makes our brown bin fantastic'. By keeping contaminants out of our brown bins, we can protect our soil and contribute to a circular economy,' McDonogh said.
