The new countywide service will provide households with kitchen caddies, an initial roll of compostable liners and outdoor food waste containers, making it easier for residents to recycle food waste separately from their general rubbish.

Cabinet approved a single countywide rollout after considering a range of delivery options. The approach offers the best value for money, minimises delivery risk and gives the council time to put in place the vehicles, equipment and infrastructure needed to launch the new service successfully.

Preparations over the next year will include procuring new collection vehicles and containers, making improvements at council depots and delivering a comprehensive communications campaign to help residents understand how the service will work before collections begin.

The introduction of separate weekly food waste collections is part of the Government’s Simpler Recycling reforms, which require councils across England to provide the service.

Once fully established, the new service is expected to collect around 6,500 tonnes of food waste each year, helping to increase Herefordshire’s recycling rate and reduce the amount of waste sent for disposal. The programme would also produce electricity as part of the treatment process as well as producing nutrient-rich bio-fertiliser.

The Council has already secured £1.85 million in Government funding towards the vehicles, containers and equipment needed to introduce the new service.

Herefordshire Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Culture and Environment, Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, said:

“Today’s decision means we can move forward with introducing a food waste collection service that works well for residents, is practical to deliver and provides value for money.

“A single countywide rollout is the most cost-effective and efficient way to introduce the service. It gives us the time we need to put the right infrastructure in place and to work with residents so everyone understands how the new collections will operate before they begin in 2027.

“Recycling food waste separately will help us reduce the amount of waste in general rubbish bins, improve recycling rates and make the most of the Government funding we’ve secured to introduce this new service.”

The Cabinet report and supporting papers are available to read on Herefordshire Council's website.