Published: 2024-04-03 (Wednesday)
The first of more than 2,000 containers for collecting food and kitchen waste are being built in the city. Apartment residents will be able to use them from September 1. The separation and collection of food waste of vegetable and animal origin will help reduce the amount of mixed municipal waste.
“In autumn, we will start collecting food and kitchen waste throughout the city. Containers near apartment buildings are already adapted for their collection. This is a serious step towards a more sustainable, cleaner and greener future.
Although food waste does not create large quantities, when it is thrown out together with other waste, it pollutes it heavily and deteriorates the quality of sorted paper, plastics and other waste. Together with other waste, discarded food releases harmful gases into the environment, promoting the greenhouse effect. Only by sorting correctly can we make a significant contribution to the preservation of our environment,” said director of administration Tadas Metelionis.
According to him, almost 800 semi-underground Molok containers will be adapted and 1,400 specialized 240-liter above-ground containers will be built in Kaunas by autumn. The integrated biofilter in their cover will ensure the prevention of odors. The application of containers for the collection of food and kitchen waste started in Šanții and Panemune municipalities. The specialists of “VSA Vilnius” and “Kaunos švaros” take care of that.
Kaunas residents will be able to throw unusable meat and fish leftovers, greasy paper towels or napkins, tea and coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels, indoor plants or their parts into the food waste containers.
Once kitchen waste is separated from the general mixed municipal waste stream, it will be properly recycled. Separately collected food and kitchen waste will be converted into valuable compost or biogas. It is estimated that about 40 kg of kitchen can be collected per year from one inhabitant waste.
It is reminded that the residents of individual houses can compost food and kitchen waste in their own homes – this is the most ecological and economical way of managing biodegradable, plant-based food and kitchen waste. Fruit, berries, vegetable residues, tea and coffee grounds can be thrown here. Owners of private estates will have the opportunity to order a special container for the collection of this waste in the future.
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