To coerce us into using slop buckets (or kitchen caddies) to recycle food waste, UK government is considering imposing fines on those who dispose of food waste along with general refuse. Is this another example where building a sustainable environment means real health risks are ignored?
In a study reported in the UK Daily Mail, Tessa Cunningham looked at the risks in her own kitchen and did some microbiological sampling. Although this is a very small sample the results are notable. Although, after one day of use, the contents of the bin tested for coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella gave negative results, after the third day (which included disposing of some raw chicken and other raw meat) high levels of bacteria including Salmonella and E. coli were found.
Can it possibly be hygienic to keep rotting waste in the kitchen, just a few feet from where fresh food is prepared? It goes against everything we recommend about keeping food preparation surfaces clean. Whilst being filled up the risks may be small, but once the bin is emptied, it is likely to be cleaned in the kitchen sink, thereby contaminating the sink and the cleaning cloth, which is then quite likely to be used to clean the surface where the bin is to be replaced. The fact that they encourage small numbers of bacteria in food waste to grow to high numbers whilst still in the kitchen further increases the risks
The UK House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee is recommended that everyone should be issued with a “kitchen caddie” to collect food so it can then be composted and transformed into energy for electricity and heat. Nearly 7.6 million households (27% of homes) already have them. They appear to have ignored the potential health risk.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2713782/How-slop-bucket-poison-family-As-MPs-recommend-ALL-Mail-carries-scientific-test-reveals-spread-salmonella-E-coli-kitchen.html#ixzz39PbMqjcw
