One in four councils to miss new food waste collection deadline

Almost a quarter of councils in England will miss the official deadline to introduce weekly food waste collections to all homes, a BBC investigation has found.

Under new Simpler Recycling legislation, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Defra, said “every household in England” would receive weekly food waste collections from next month. But more than 70 councils told the BBC they would not meet that deadline.

For families already juggling school runs, packed lunches and rising food bills, the changes could affect how and when food waste is collected locally, and how quickly households are expected to adapt.

Why are some councils missing the deadline?

Councils cited a range of challenges, including delays in securing specialist collection vehicles and concerns around funding, despite more than £340m in grants from Defra.

When additional councils that have agreed later start dates are included, more than a third of councils will still not be collecting food waste from all homes by March.

Shropshire Council said launching in April would place it under “significant financial risk”. Cabinet member David Vasmer said funds were provided for vehicles, bins and the initial delivery, but the recent government settlement had “failed to provide any revenue funding for a weekly food waste service”.

South Derbyshire District Council said its supplier was experiencing “exceptionally high demand” for food waste collection vehicles. East Hampshire District Council also confirmed availability of bin lorries was behind its delay and said it did not yet have a start date.

Environment minister Mary Creagh told the BBC councils had received a “significant uplift in this year's budget” to help “make this policy a success”.

“Do it slowly, do it right but let's get on with it,” she said. “We have been stagnating at these very low recycling rates for far too long.”

What the changes mean for families

The aim of Simpler Recycling is to standardise what can be recycled across England and “remove the confusion” caused by different local rules.

Adam Herriott, senior sector specialist at sustainability charity Wrap, said the goal was to enable everyone to recycle the same materials “no matter where in England you are”.

The default collections will include paper and card, food waste and dry recycling such as plastic, metal and glass.

A Defra spokesperson said the changes will “end the postcode lottery of bin collection”.

For parents trying to cut waste and stretch the weekly shop, separate food caddies may also encourage more mindful meal planning.

Greg Ford, who lives in Buriton, East Hampshire, already composts at home. He said: “It makes you think about food waste, planning what to do with leftovers, so I think ironically collecting people's food waste is going to cut down on food waste.”

He added the council should take as long as it needed “to get it right”.

But not everyone is happy about delays. Patricia Jepheson, from Worcester, where collections are not expected until spring 2027, said: “It's just a lot of extra waste that could be disposed of in a greener way.

“When areas with fewer resources managed to do it years ago, it's hard to understand why we're waiting until 2027.”

How food waste recycling works

Food waste that is collected separately is usually sent for anaerobic digestion, a process that turns leftovers into renewable energy.

Herriott explained: “Food waste is generally pretty heavy because it's got quite a high water content.”

By diverting it from landfill or incineration, he said councils can “improve our recycling rate as a nation quite significantly”.

The waste is broken down in sealed tanks over several months, producing biomethane. Mark Barnfield, commercial director at Severn Trent Green Power, said the gas is cleaned and either “injected into the gas grid” or converted to electricity.

The remaining material, known as digestate, can be used as fertiliser by nearby farms.

Wrap’s senior specialist for food waste, Rosemary Brotchie, said the change could also help families rethink daily habits.

“You're keeping it out of your general waste bin, keeping it out of landfill, reducing those emissions that will come from that food rotting in landfill, but you're also keeping your waste clean to allow that to be recycled,” she said.

She added: “If you are collecting your food in a caddy, you really get to see firsthand what you're throwing away. I think that can really prompt some rethinking.”

If you are collecting your food in a caddy, you really get to see firsthand what you're throwing away. I think that can really prompt some rethinking.

What happens next?

At least 56 councils that will miss the deadline say they aim to launch weekly collections for all households by the end of 2026, while nine could not give an approximate start date.

The Local Government Association has called for clarity on long term funding, saying: “It is important that all councils have local flexibility on how this service is delivered, alongside adequate funding and support.

“We are also asking government to commit to reviewing service costs after a year, to help plug any costs gaps.”

For now, families are advised to check their local council website for updates on when food waste collections will begin in their area, and what bins or caddies will be provided.