Berkeley Parents Network: Recycling Food Scraps

Berkeley Parents Network

Recycling Food Scraps

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Charity, Donations & Recycling > Recycling Food Scraps

Food Scrap Recycling Container Insert

Food Scrap Recycling Container Insert

June 2005

I love my new little green food scrap recycling container that Waste Management has provided. But, I hate cleaning it out every week! Does anyone know if anyone makes an insert for those that can be purchased and that is also able to be put into the yard waste container? And, if there isn't already something out there - calling all buisness folks - someone could make a mint by making one...Thanks, Amy

I don't have any recommendation for an insert except what we're doing currently. We put a large handfull of shredded paper waste (from our paper shredder) in the bottom of the mini- greenie. This makes emptying it much simpler because then food waste doesn't cling to the bottom. And shredded paper is pretty worm-friendly. We empty the mini-greenie into a paper bag when it gets full and place it in the large curbside greenie. No muss, no fuss - and no big smell, all recycleable! Deborah

Try lining the green kitchen bin with newspaper. It's better than buying something to throw away! (My pet peeve with all garbage bags!)

I just line mine with an old newspaper section - works great and okay to put in green waste, as far as I know. JP

I purchased some biodegradable bags from Gardeners Supply online. Here is a link to the bags. They worked great. http://www.gardenerssupply.com/Shopping/sell.asp? ProdGroupID=17627&DeptPGID=19682&lstCategory=0&RecGroupNum=1 Karen

I just put a brown paper bag or newspaper inside first. I empty every other day, and it seems to work fine. compostin'!

Like you, I love the little green bin and hate having to wash it every week. I looked very carefully on the picture and it appears that newspapers are OK to go into it. So I find a new use for my recycle newspapers and have been lining my green bin with them. anon

I got a tupperware container that fits inside the green bin so I just empty that and rinse it but don't clean it that thoroughly. It stinks a bit but since it is sealed you can't smell it. I look forward to hearing others ideas. composter

If your service is the same as Albany's (I assume it is, since both are Waste Management), you can use milk cartons. It doesn't fill the whole green thing, but you can just replace it when it's full (assuming you drink milk or soy-milk or juice from cartons!). I actually bought an asparagus pot to use, since I like to keep it on the counter, and it's much prettier on my counter than the green mini-garbage can. I fold down the top of the milk carton, and it's almost a perfect fit. Asparagus pots are generally pretty pricey, but it was on clearance at Macy's around this time last year (after peak asparagus season), for a good price. R.K.

I was having the same problems with smell and hating cleaning the green bin. Now we just don't use it at all. Instead we take brown paper grocery bags, and fold one down to line to bottom of another so liquid doesn't seep through. We toss everything in there and contrary to what you'd think, it takes more than a couple of days before we notice any smell. Probably because it's not closed shut. Then we can just toss the whole thing in the green compost can. This makes for less smell, fewer trips out to garbage, no mess to clean up, and a good use for those shopping bags anon

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