Go! - Weekly food waste collections begin across Test Valley
From today (13 October), households across Test Valley will start receiving weekly food waste collections.
The new service means residents can now recycle their food waste – including meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, bread, tea bags and coffee grounds - using their kitchen and kerbside caddies.
The local authority is introducing this new collection service as the Environment Act 2021 requires all councils to have food waste collections in place by 1 April 2026.
The new weekly service will see food waste taken to a local anaerobic digestion facility, where it will be transformed into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser.
Councillor David Drew, portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “This is a big step forward for Test Valley. We know that food waste makes up to a third of what’s thrown away in the black bins, and this new service gives residents a simple way to recycle it instead.”
Residents should place their larger caddy out for collection at the kerbside, by 7am on their collection day. Caddies will need to be presented with the handle upright, as this locks the lid and helps the collection team. Some residents have been given a shared wheeled bin instead, and the collection teams will collect and return these once emptied.
The council has delivered nearly 60,000 caddy packs to homes across the borough. Anyone who hasn’t received theirs, or is missing items from it, should contact them via their website.
To find out more about what can go in your food waste bin and how the service works, visit: www.testvalley.gov.uk/foodwaste. To check any of your waste collection days, visit www.testvalley.gov.uk/bins.