Planning a zero waste barbeque

Information

The Scottish summer is upon us finally (although someone might want to tell the weather) and sunny days and longer nights mean only one thing. It’s barbeque season!

Before you rush out to grab a value pack of barbeque meat and one of those disposable trays that take forever to light, think about how you can have a waste-free barbeque this year. It’s easier than you might imagine…

Invest in a reusable barbeque

The cost of disposables soon adds up and each one ends up in the bin. An inexpensive reusable one will last for years if looked after.

Have a butchers at your local butchers

The local butcher is a top bet for a waste-free barbie, as you can buy exactly the amount of meat that you want, rather than what’s on a deal at the supermarket. And it won’t come in mountains of Styrofoam packaging that can’t be recycled.

As you are buying fresh, any meat that isn’t cooked can be frozen for another time.

Pick up some picnic-friendly reusable plates

If you’re happy to take your china up the garden then great, but if not then reusable plastic plates are a great alternative to using disposable ones.

Bring a recycling box

Putting a cardboard box out for recyclables will help you catch as much recyclable stuff as you can. If you’re barbequing in the garden, put your recycling boxes out for people and get them to sort it as they go.

Use up leftovers

Barbeque leftovers are fantastic for creating amazing next-day sandwiches, curries or stews.

Leftover meat and veg can be chopped and stirred through pasta and rice, or blitzed into soups. Raw meat should be stored separately to ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination. Once cooked, take care to store it correctly.

Recycle as much as you can at home

Check on your local council website to see if you can recycle glass bottles from beer, wine and spirits or cardboard sleeves from your burger packs, beer boxes and wine carriers.

Food waste

Veg peelings, sausages that turned accidentally to charcoal and any food you couldn’t use up later can all be added to your home compost bin or recycled in your food waste caddy, as long as food waste collections have resumed.

Clean up

Investing in a good wire brush to clean the barbeque will save dozens of disposable scourers in the long run. Don’t forget that the plastic bottles from all cleaning products are also recyclable when empty.

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