With the new food waste legislation set to take effect in 2025 and the recent DEFRA funding, there is a current focus on councils acquiring five or seven litre caddies and doorstep 23-litre containers. While the 23-litre container is suitable for single households, a different solution is needed for collecting food waste from high-density communal areas, such as flats, above-shop apartments, and school canteens.
To aid this, Storm Environmental has carried out a two-year design, development and testing process to bring its all-new 400-litre four-wheeled storage and collection food waste container to market.
In high-density areas, some councils are currently using 180- or 240-litre standard two-wheeled bins, which were not designed for the heavy loads associated with food waste collection. When full, these bins can hold up to 240kg of waste, posing a risk of strained and pulled muscles for the operators emptying them. Additionally, it is questionable whether the 180- or 240-litre capacity will be sufficient to meet the needs of these communities.
The Storm food waste container is highly durable, featuring a smooth plastic inner liner combined with the strength of steel in the vehicle lift area. Its special 4x200mm nylon wheeled swivel castors are tough and impervious to dirt, allowing the emptying crews to easily manoeuvre the container, even when it is full with up to 400kg of food waste.
The loading port in the lid features a specially designed entry channel, ensuring the food waste collects evenly in the container. The rounded “bathtub” inner liner ensures a smooth emptying process and helps keep the container free from waste residue.
Compatible with all standard comb lift vehicles and most special food waste collection trucks, the container has proved very popular during its trials, demonstrating ease of use for both the community and emptying operatives. It offers clear advantages over the two-wheeled bin collection methods commonly used in high-density areas.
To complement this product, Storm has added a 400-litre bin cover to its POD range. Available for both two- and four-wheeled bins, the POD range encourages the community to dispose of waste and recyclables conveniently, tidily, and safely, while also helping to prevent the spread of fires to adjacent buildings and properties. The 400-litre food waste container, along with other food waste collection solutions, will be showcased at Storm’s stand at the LARAC conference on 9th and 10th October.
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