FOOD waste collections for Poole and a simpler recycling system are being proposed by the council at a meeting next week.
If approved, these plans will see food waste collections introduced for Poole households and flats in Bournemouth by March 2026.
Residents without access to a bin will be offered recycling bags and a kerbside collection service begins this October.
Another plan being considered is enhancing the council’s commercial waste service to support businesses, schools and hospitals to recycle and collect food waste by March 2025.
A central government grant of £1.537m has been awarded to invest in new collection vehicles and containers for food waste collection and to support the roll out of the new service.
Cabinet member for the environment and energy Andy Hadley said: “Residents in Poole have been asking for food waste bins for some time now, so it’s great that they will benefit from the introduction of food waste collections in early 2026.
“Once implemented, these changes will enable the same service for all our residents, another significant step we’re taking towards a more sustainable future for our community.
“By introducing a BCP-wide commercial food waste collection service and expanding our recycling initiatives to include plastic film to the same timescale, we are actively reducing our environmental impact and promoting responsible waste management.
“All these measures not only benefit our environment but also contribute to building a cleaner and healthier community for generations to come.”
According to the council, introducing food waste collections to Poole and parts of Bournemouth will improve the authority’s recycling rate by six per cent and saving around £200,000.
In 2023/24, BCP Council achieved a recycling rate of 47.3 per cent, ranking 13th unitary authority in England for recycling performance.
Food waste makes up 34 per cent of the average household refuse bin in BCP, but 76 per cent of food waste found in a bin is deemed avoidable, a council report has said.
These new waste and recycling reforms will help cut emissions by removing food from general waste, saving money on waste disposal and creating energy from food through anaerobic digestion to help power homes.
The proposals will be discussed by BCP’s cabinet on May 22.
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