BBC News reports that almost a quarter of English councils will not meet the government’s deadline for weekly food waste collections, despite Defra’s commitment that “every household” would be covered from next month.
More than 70 councils in England will fail to meet the government’s deadline to introduce weekly food waste collections to all households, according to a BBC News investigation.
Under the Simpler Recycling reforms, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said that “every household in England” would receive a weekly food waste collection from next month.
However, the BBC found that almost a quarter of councils will miss the deadline. When authorities granted formal later start dates are included, more than a third will still not be collecting food waste from all homes by March.
The reforms are intended to standardise recycling services across England, replacing a patchwork of local systems with consistent collections of paper and card, food waste and dry recyclables such as plastic, metal and glass. Ministers say the changes will help raise recycling rates and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting food waste from landfill.
Councils that told the BBC they would not be ready cited delays in securing specialist food waste collection vehicles and concerns about ongoing operational funding.
Councils that told the BBC they would not be ready cited delays in securing specialist food waste collection vehicles and concerns about ongoing operational funding. Although more than £340m in grants has been made available to support implementation, some authorities said this covered capital costs such as vehicles and bins but not the long-term revenue costs of running weekly services.
Among the authorities reporting delays were Shropshire Council, which said an April launch would place it under “significant financial risk”. Cabinet member David Vasmer said funding had been provided for vehicles, bins and initial rollout, but that the most recent financial settlement had “failed to provide any revenue funding for a weekly food waste service”.
South Derbyshire District Council told the BBC its supplier was experiencing “exceptionally high demand” for food waste collection vehicles, making procurement difficult. East Hampshire District Council also cited vehicle availability as the reason for its delay and said it did not yet have a confirmed start date.
At least 56 of the councils missing the deadline aim to introduce full coverage by the end of 2026, while nine were unable to provide an approximate start date. A further 31 councils have secured agreements allowing for later start dates and will not formally be treated as missing the deadline.
Successful progress made
Commenting on the BBC focus on Simpler Recycling, food waste collections and waste issues, CIWM’s Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs, Dan Cooke, said: “It’s great to see the BBC and other media’s coverage of vital resource and waste services, including forthcoming Simpler Recycling changes due to kick in for all English local authorities on April 1st.
“The whole story shows the successful progress made by the resources and waste sector working in partnership with local authorities and Government. While it’s interesting to compare food waste recycling benefits with the impacts of landfill, we should acknowledge that landfill is largely yesterday’s news.
“Our sector has invested billions and successfully built out a fleet of energy from waste and anaerobic digestion facilities – almost now at full capacity for the UK’s needs. These provide the vital resource-efficient infrastructure (which, by the way, generates good slugs of renewable power as a beneficial ‘by-product’) that will serve the UK’s households and businesses for decades to come.
There are bound to be a few issues with sourcing bins and vehicles at a time of high demand, and with funding challenges, although Government has ensured additional funding sources to introduce these improvements, but most councils have planned and prepared well
“It’s also a positive – and hats off to UK governments for cracking on with their delivery of progressive waste policies – in that most local authorities are successfully introducing food waste collections and simpler recycling services that make it easy and convenient for households to recycle the right stuff in the right bin.
“There are bound to be a few issues with sourcing bins and vehicles at a time of high demand, and with funding challenges, although Government has ensured additional funding sources to introduce these improvements, but most councils have planned and prepared well.
“Where these services are already in place we see high levels of service satisfaction and public participation. It’s good to note our sector’s continued progress and that, for the vast majority, recycling feels good!”
