Households generate huge quantities of waste materials, much of which can be sorted out and stored for recycling. Before allocating space to recycling in your kitchen, contact the local authority to establish the categories of rubbish that they accept. If you have a garden, consider organic waste.
WASTE DISPOSAL
For those who live in small flats or houses, recycling may not be an option because of the space needed to sort out and store the different materials. A waste compactor occupies a small amount of space and will compress all bulky household rubbish into tight bundles. Alternatively, consider a Waste disposal unit to dispose of food scraps. A less expensive option is a slim, free-standing pedal bin.
ORGANIC WASTE HOLE
A hole or slot carved out of a wood worktop feeds directly into a waste bin below, and is an efficient way of clearing away organic waste matter, such as vegetable peelings. As well as keeping the worktop free, the waste matter can be tipped directly onto a garden compost heap.
RECYCLING COMPARTMENTS
Here, a pull-out drawer adjacent to the sink holds two recycling bins. Avoid shallow bins that have to be emptied frequently. Make sure the bins are easy to list out, and that the drawer interior can be wiped clean. Also, check that the drawer is sealed to prevent odour transfer.
STICKING BINS
Lightweight plastic bins can be easily stacked on top of one other, while lift-up flaps allow the quick deposit of items. Allocate one bin for each category of recycled waste. Store the bins out of sight and plan to empty them regularly.
ELECTRIC COMPACTORS
All household rubbish is tied in and then compacted at the turn of a switch. This small unit does not need emptying for several weeks at a time.
CHARCOAL FILTER
The filter reduces odours when the door is open.
PEDAL BINS
A flexible unit, as it can be transported to wherever you are working. Its slim shape takes up less floor space than other pedal bins.
REMEMBER
Plan organic waste bins or a waste disposal hole close to the food preparation area, to avoid having to transport food scraps across the kitchen.
The size of rubbish bins for household waste needs to be in keeping with the size of your family. Emptying a bin several times a day, especially if you live in a block of flats, may become annoying.
If you are unhappy about separating out waste materials For recycling, try to recycle just “clean” waste; newspapers and glass bottles are the easiest and cleanest to separate out and store in stacking bins for weekly recycling.