Council’s recycling champions trial new “hot bin” to combat waste

A local family has stepped forward to help Horsham District Council with a new recycling trial, aiming to reduce the levels of food waste they throw away.

The Coakleys, a family of five from Horsham, have volunteered to trial a new “hot bin” supplied to them by the Council for a period of six months to share with local people just how using the special bin will reduce the amount of food waste which goes into the waste stream and will turn it into home composting.

While the Council promotes and supports the use of traditional composters as a way of reducing food waste, they are able to only process food scraps such as peelings, eggshells and teabags.

Winner of the 2019 Royal Horticultural Society Garden Product of the Year, the revolutionary new Hot Bin can process anything from bones to chicken waste and turn it into rich compost for the garden in just 90 days.

The six month trial started in August 2020 and during this time the Council will gather data on how much food waste is being transferred into home composting instead of going to waste.

During the trial the family will be sending updates, photos and videos which will be shared via the Council’s social media channels.

At the end of the trial the family will receive a £50 shopping voucher for taking part and, as an added bonus, will be able to keep the Hot Bin worth some £200 as well.

Commenting on the trial, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Recycling and Waste Cllr Philip Circus said:

I am delighted that this family has stepped forward to help us with this recycling trial.

“We aim to gather the feedback from the Coakley family and use the data to inform our learnings on food recycling and in the future expand on this type of trial and perhaps explore promoting Hot Bins at a subsidised price for Horsham district residents going forward.”

Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Recycling and Waste Cllr Philip Circus

Mrs Amanda Coakley added:

As a family, we really hope that by taking part in this trial it will make a real difference to how local residents think about recycling their food waste.

“We just think it is a really easy way to help reduce our carbon footprint without having to give up using a car or foregoing a mobile phone.

“We are really looking forward to using the Hot Bin and sharing our experience to help others and the climate.”

Mrs Amanda Coakley

For media queries please email press@horsham.gov.uk .