MORE than 115 tonnes of food waste has been collected to help grow turf.

The scraps from homes in West Dorset have been made into compost to grow the grass.

The waste has been recycled since the new recycling scheme was launched by West Dorset District Council in Sherborne and surrounding villages.

Such waste as bread, cakes, meat, fish, yoghurts, dairy produce and egg shells has been picked up from homes on the same day as normal rubbish collections. The collection of other recyclable materials has also risen from an average of 148 tonnes a month to 158 tonnes.

The recycling rate for the area has risen from 29 per cent to 39 per cent since the scheme started.

A new video showing how to recycle food waste has gone on the local councils’ dorsetforyou website.

It shows how the collections are taken to an eco-composting centre and made into compost, which is then used to grow turf.

The video is at www.dorsetforyou.com/foodwastevideo/west