Food waste and garden waste can all be called organic waste, as it has been grown or cultivated, rather than being made or manufactured by us. Over a third of all the waste we produce in Devon comes from food (either vegetable or fruit peelings or leftovers) or our gardens (leaves, grass cuttings and other green waste).
Waste is dealt with differently depending on whether it has been cooked or not. Cooked food waste needs to be treated carefully and is usually taken away from places people live, as it can attract pests like rats, while garden waste like leaves and grass and uncooked food waste like vegetable and fruit peelings can be composted at home.
Find out what happens to your collected food waste after it leaves your house or school, or discover how to start a compost heap at home or school by following our links above.
Are you concerned about food waste at lunchtime in your school? Our new Zero Waste Lunch pages will help you audit your waste from lunchtime and feature lots of learning opportunities for the classroom too.