Eastleigh Borough Council’s popular food waste recycling service, which was temporarily suspended during lockdown to ensure health and safety, is set to return from 9 November.
In a change to the previous service, food waste will now be collected by smaller, lower emission vehicles. The new vehicles will also enable staff to socially distance as they will require less crew members in each vehicle.
Food waste will continue to be collected weekly, on the same day as residents’ usual bin collection. However, as it is now being collected by a separate vehicle, the brown food waste bin may not be collected at the same time as residents’ wheeled bin.
At the same time as food waste recycling collections return, The Council is also launching a new recycling pilot with around households across the Borough. Residents can find out more about the pilot and if their road is included on the Council’s recycling pilot webpage.
If the recycling pilot is successful, the new food waste vehicles will allow the Council to expand their recycling service to include fortnightly glass collections and food waste recycling for flats.
The Council’s Cabinet lead for the Environment, Cllr Rupert Kyrle, said: “As the only council in Hampshire to operate a regular food waste recycling service, we are very happy to see the service returning. The coronavirus pandemic presented the Council with some logistical barriers to getting the service back up and running whilst ensuring the safety of our crews. However, by investing in the new vehicles, we are also opening up new and exciting recycling opportunities for the future as part of our commitment to the Climate Change and Environmental Emergency. Eastleigh residents are among the best recyclers in Hampshire and I’m sure they will welcome the opportunity to be able to recycle more.”