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Food waste recycling collections to start from next month

Households across Winchester will soon benefit from weekly food waste recycling collections as Winchester City Council begins to roll out the new service across the district.

Starting from October 2025, the service will be launched in phases, with all households receiving a weekly collection by the end of March 2026.

Collecting food waste separately significantly reduces the amount of waste sent for incineration. Instead, it’s taken to an anaerobic digestion plant where it will be converted into renewable energy and fertiliser for farms. The service is estimated to cut emissions by 1,900 tones of Carbon dioxide a year  - or equivalent to driving 190 times around the world in a petrol car.  

Collections will take place weekly on residents’ usual bin day and households will receive everything they need to start recycling food waste up to three weeks before their collection starts, this includes:

  • A small grey kitchen caddy,
  • An outdoor bin with a locking handle
  • A starter roll of compostable liners
  • Communal properties will be provided with shared outdoor wheelie bins  

Nine specialist food waste collection vehicles have been purchased, fuelled by hydrotreated vegetable oil instead of diesel,

food waste truck
The new food waste recycling vehicles have arrived at the depot

reducing carbon emissions by up to 94%.

Councillor Steve Cramoysan, Cabinet Member for Recycling and Public Protection said:

‘We know that Winchester District residents are highly motivated to recycle their waste.  A recent “Rethinking Recycling” survey  showed that residents would welcome a household food waste recycling collection.

Most of us are really careful not to waste food, but some waste is unavoidable. For example, peelings, chicken or fish bones, coffee grounds or tea bags. This new service will enable our district to recycle food waste into energy, reducing carbon emissions and going greener faster, I encourage everyone to take part when their service starts.’   

Residents will soon start receiving their bin calendars alongside a letter introducing food waste collections. They can find out when their food waste collections start on the council website at www.winchester.gov.uk/foodwaste


 

 

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