Summary
New rules in England require councils to collect food waste from homes every week. Many councils are not ready to meet this requirement despite receiving funding from the government, leading to delays in implementing the service.
Key Facts
- New rules in England mandate weekly food waste collections for all homes.
- 79 English councils, about one in four, are not meeting the initial deadline of March 31.
- Councils cite the need for specialist vehicles and funding issues as reasons for the delay.
- The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) provided over £340 million in grants to assist with the transition.
- WRAP, an environmental organization, says the new rules are a major update to recycling policy in England.
- Food waste, when recycled separately, can generate electricity and reduce landfill-related greenhouse gases.
- Some councils have been collecting food waste weekly for over a decade, while others aim to start by 2026.
- Transitional agreements allow certain councils more time due to existing contracts, meaning over a third of councils will not collect food waste from all homes immediately.
