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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think food waste should be uplifted weekly to prevent fly infestations?

63 replies

brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:19

I live in Scotland and in a residential area with lots of terraced housing. In late winter 2022 our local council changed our food waste collection from weekly to every 2 or 3 weeks. They gave us all large brown bins that were to be used for food waste and garden waste.

Last summer we had the worst issues I have ever seen with fruit flies and house flies in the 10 years I have lived here. I bought and set up traps and hovered as many of them up as I could. I am pretty fastidious about cleaning the kitchen, drains and so on always have been but became even more so. It was a constant battle and I knew the fruit flies were coming in from outside because I could see them flying in the bathroom window when I was in the shower and because when you put food waste in the outside bin lots of them are in the outside bin, the neighbours as well. Everyone in the local area is having the same issue.

Looking into it the reduced uplift of food waste is allowing a full breeding cycle for fruit files which are then coming into our homes, if the council uplifted the food waste more often then we would not be having these issues. The council has also now stopped taking garden waste and now you need to pay extra. Fair enough but what I want is my food waste taken away on a weekly basis to prevent the constant problems with fruit flies and flies.

It makes me feel ill to see them try and land on the food I am preparing and the fruit flies are so small they can get everywhere. Perhaps it is just me but I feel sickened by them. I have vinegar traps in hot spots, I hoover them up with my dust buster and I have citronella oil everywhere. I wash out my food bins inside and out every time they are emptied and do my sinks / drains every night after dinner.

Not every neighbour bothers as much even though I was in one neighbours house where they must have had 100 fruit flies in the kitchen alone (shudder) so perhaps they don't see it or it doesn't bother them. Local forums are saying the same thing flies everywhere so it is a wide spread issue.

I don't think it will change until councils start taking the food waste away weekly again and by not doing so they are creating a public health issue and infestations.

Let me know if you agree by voting

YANBU - Yes food waste needs to be collected weekly
YABU - Once or Twice a month food waste collection is fine.

Also any tips on deterring them would be great!

OP posts:
user4750 · 03/08/2023 16:21

Or you could reduce your food waste? Don’t waste as much, use up leftovers, compost plant matter and hot compost everything else.

BoohooWoohoo · 03/08/2023 16:22

My food and garden waste is collected weekly and we still get flies and maggots despite the monthly wheelie bin clean.

AnnaMagnani · 03/08/2023 16:24

You're lucky you have only gone fortnightly so recently!

I've had fortnightly food waste collections in various parts of the UK for at least 15 years, probably longer.

Apart from one hot year when there were maggots in the bin, it's fine.

Sirzy · 03/08/2023 16:24

We have been on fortnightly collections for years and haven’t had any issues except when it’s really hot.

Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:25

user4750 · 03/08/2023 16:21

Or you could reduce your food waste? Don’t waste as much, use up leftovers, compost plant matter and hot compost everything else.

I am veggie and don't have much waste, everything is from scratch and so we only have peelings, egg shells, no meat at all. I did try a compost heap but a neighbour complained about the smell. Also the problem would still exist due to our neighbours bins as it is terraced housing.

OP posts:
Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:25

BoohooWoohoo · 03/08/2023 16:22

My food and garden waste is collected weekly and we still get flies and maggots despite the monthly wheelie bin clean.

We never had any issues until the change in bin collections.

OP posts:
Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:26

AnnaMagnani · 03/08/2023 16:24

You're lucky you have only gone fortnightly so recently!

I've had fortnightly food waste collections in various parts of the UK for at least 15 years, probably longer.

Apart from one hot year when there were maggots in the bin, it's fine.

I have never had maggots in my bins ever, only these bloody fruit flies.

OP posts:
cinnamonfrenchtoast · 03/08/2023 16:31

YANBU, but we don't even have a separate food waste collection lol.

LifeofBrienne · 03/08/2023 16:32

YANBU, there really should be weekly food waste collection, in summer at least! Why would they get you to mix it with garden garden waste when that doesn’t need to be collected so often?

AndTheSurveySays · 03/08/2023 16:36

Can't you buy some of those net screens for your windows and doors? I have them and no flies get in my house.

Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:36

@LifeofBrienne That's a good point actually if it were just from April through to September then that would probably help a lot. I have no idea why they have to mix garden waste and food waste, it all worked perfectly well before they changed it.

OP posts:
Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:39

@AndTheSurveySays My windows open in the way not out so not really suitable. Best solution is the more regular uplift I'd pay for it!

OP posts:
KnittedCardi · 03/08/2023 16:40

We have one of the best systems in the country I think. We were well ahead of the rest too. Food waste collected weekly. General waste and recycling bi-weekly. Garden waste bi-weekly. They also collect electricals, batteries, clothes, every week.

Theunamedcat · 03/08/2023 16:43

KnittedCardi · 03/08/2023 16:40

We have one of the best systems in the country I think. We were well ahead of the rest too. Food waste collected weekly. General waste and recycling bi-weekly. Garden waste bi-weekly. They also collect electricals, batteries, clothes, every week.

Where do you live?

HedgesNotFences · 03/08/2023 16:43

If you are veggie consider a Guinea pig to get rid of your veg peelings.
We have no food waste as we have Guinea pigs and a compost bin.
The compost bin doesn’t smell - you need equal(ish) brown and green waste. Layer the brown waste from Guinea pigs (their shavings and hay) with garden and kitchen waste (nothing cooked). Most veg peelings (not potato, chilli or onion) can go to the Guinea pigs.
Use up all leftovers.
That way you will at least avoid having to deal with the food bins. Try net curtains to stop the house flies coming in.
The fruit flies might be coming from house plants. Peat free compost means you get a lot of them in the top surface of the soil but you can stop them by only watering from underneath - that way they stay dormant.

KnittedCardi · 03/08/2023 16:43

brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:26

I have never had maggots in my bins ever, only these bloody fruit flies.

Show quote history

We used to get maggots in the summer. I had to put bleach all road the top of the bin, even with the weekly collection. South facing front, and originally not collected until noon. I complained and they changed the route to come to us first. Result.

Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:44

@KnittedCardi That does sound good also uplift of batteries and electricals. Can ask what county you are in? Our council actually makes money from food waste recycling so they could take the waste in more often I think although I'd be prepared to pay more for a better system like yours.

OP posts:
Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:47

HedgesNotFences · 03/08/2023 16:43

If you are veggie consider a Guinea pig to get rid of your veg peelings.
We have no food waste as we have Guinea pigs and a compost bin.
The compost bin doesn’t smell - you need equal(ish) brown and green waste. Layer the brown waste from Guinea pigs (their shavings and hay) with garden and kitchen waste (nothing cooked). Most veg peelings (not potato, chilli or onion) can go to the Guinea pigs.
Use up all leftovers.
That way you will at least avoid having to deal with the food bins. Try net curtains to stop the house flies coming in.
The fruit flies might be coming from house plants. Peat free compost means you get a lot of them in the top surface of the soil but you can stop them by only watering from underneath - that way they stay dormant.

That is a good idea but I have allergies to most furry pets and wouldn't get one just for this purpose but it is a good idea for those that want a pet so thank you.

I don't have any plants in the house at the moment except a basil plant which they apparently don't like. I did have some last year but ended up getting rid of them in case they were breeding in there.

OP posts:
Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 16:48

@KnittedCardi I will complain to the council to see if they do anything about it!

OP posts:
GreekDogRescue · 03/08/2023 16:57

get a wormery

TakeMe2Insanity · 03/08/2023 17:00

I live in Lambeth and we’ve always had a weekly collection but now the council has put in a consultation (will go ahead) with fortnightly collections. I’m dreading it as the bins are often attacked by foxes etc.

LakieLady · 03/08/2023 17:13

Everyone round my way had dreadful problems with tiny black flies earlier this year, before it got cooler, and our food waste is collected weekly. Could it just be a coincidence, and not actually the change in collection frequency? Our bins are done on a Monday, so we don't get a collection when there's a bank holiday. I've never seen these little black flies before this year, even when we have had a 2-week gap between collections.

I'd like someone to invent a compostable liner for food waste that doesn't start to compost itself inside a week. A lot of them split when the bin men take them out of the food waste bin, and the contents end up all over the pavements.

BMW6 · 03/08/2023 17:15

Compost bins shouldn't have a nasty smell if you are putting in the correct waste.

Why not read up on what should and shouldn't go into compost and have another go? Much better for the environment and if you do it right you'll have lovely rich compost to use! Win win!

Original poster
brooksmantila · 03/08/2023 17:17

LakieLady · 03/08/2023 17:13

Everyone round my way had dreadful problems with tiny black flies earlier this year, before it got cooler, and our food waste is collected weekly. Could it just be a coincidence, and not actually the change in collection frequency? Our bins are done on a Monday, so we don't get a collection when there's a bank holiday. I've never seen these little black flies before this year, even when we have had a 2-week gap between collections.

I'd like someone to invent a compostable liner for food waste that doesn't start to compost itself inside a week. A lot of them split when the bin men take them out of the food waste bin, and the contents end up all over the pavements.

I think the little black flies are Drain Flies so probably not related to the bins I don't think our issue is primarily with fruit flies and it is down to the food bins. Look up how to get rid of drain flies if they come back!

OP posts:
schooloflostsocks · 03/08/2023 17:18

A Swiss friend of mine keeps his food waste in the fridge till collection day. He seemed to tell me this is normal in Switzerland (not sure if that is true) and I do the same in summer. Only possible because I have a huge fridge

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