Unused food and food leftovers currently make up about 30% of what is thrown away in each household’s refuse (green) bin and being able to recycle this will significantly reduce the amount of waste sent for incineration.
It will be used to generate clean, green energy and nutrient-rich soil improver for farmers.
As part of the Environment Act 2021, food waste recycling is expected to be provided by all councils.
Weekly food waste collections will be rolled out across the district in October 2026.
Sign up to our bin updates to be notified when the service will start.
Before the start of the weekly food waste collections, you will receive a starter pack made up of an information leaflet, a small 5-litre caddy in which to collect food waste in your kitchen and a 23-litre outdoor caddy (or use of a 140-litre container if you share your outside bins with other properties).
Food waste collection day details will be released before the service begins. Sign up to our bin updates to find out when they are available.
To enable you to recycle your food waste we will provide most homes with:
People using communal bin areas will receive a kitchen caddy and access to a new (140 litre) shared bin.
Our specialist food waste vehicles will be delivered soon and East Hampshire Norse is recruiting crews to provide the service.
Caddy distribution is underway.
Food waste can represent a third of what is put in each household's refuse bin and recycling will significantly reduce the amount sent to be burned for power. Instead, it will help generate clean, green energy via a process called Anaerobic Digestion (AD).
AD is already a valuable source of renewable electricity in the UK, contributing over 1 billion kWh of electricity to the national grid - enough to power around 3 million homes for a year from waste and organic materials. It also provides fertiliser as a byproduct to benefit local farms.
Every bit of food waste will contribute to the generation of green energy, no matter how small. For example, recycling just two tea bags can create enough electricity to fully charge a smartphone, and a full caddy provides enough energy to toast eight slices of bread.
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We’ve set up a page of questions and answers about the food waste service which will cover the most frequently asked questions. We’ll update them from time to time with other questions we receive.