Homes across Hart will benefit from weekly food waste collections from October 2025, making a positive contribution to raising recycling rates across the district.
Hart District Council agreed the introduction of these collections at the Full Council meeting last night, Thursday 28 November.
Following the start of this service, residents will be able to leave food waste out on a weekly basis for kerbside collection.
Hart is already one of the top three performers for recycling rates in Hampshire, with the top three separated by just 0.5%. But food waste accounts for around a third of the household waste in Hart, with over 9,000 tonnes discarded every year. By separating food waste, we should be able to deliver over 20% increases in recycling rates across the district. Meanwhile, Hampshire County Council are also progressing plans for new and better waste sorting facilities so that more items can go in blue recycling bins.
Councillor Richard Quarterman, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Corporate Services said: “Reducing waste and increasing what can be recycled is a key focus for the Council and sits alongside our commitment to a carbon neutral district by 2040.
“We know residents have been asking for the ability to recycle more and we’re so pleased that we will be able to offer this new kerbside service well ahead of the Government’s deadline of 2026. Because of the great work of households across Hart, our district already has some of the highest recycling rates in Hampshire and collecting food waste is only going to have a positive effect on these.”
The Government’s Environment Act 2021 aims to make recycling more consistent across the country, increasing what can be collected and reducing the amount of waste in general waste bins. Under the act, all councils must bring in weekly food waste collections by March 2026. Hart’s introduction of this service in October 2025 will put them ahead of the 2026 target set.