100 Tonnes of Food Waste Collected in First Weeks of New Service

Southampton City Council has announced that more than 100 tonnes of food waste have been collected since the launch of its new weekly food waste collection service on 9 February.

The early milestone marks a strong start for the scheme, with residents across the city embracing the new service and regularly putting out their food waste caddies for collection.

Council representatives said they were “bowled over” by the level of participation so soon after the rollout began, describing the response as a significant achievement in the city’s efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling rates.

The service is being introduced in phases, meaning not all areas of Southampton currently have food waste collections. Residents whose collections have not yet started are being encouraged to check their bin collection calendar online to find out when the service will begin in their area.

Council crews have also been praised for their work in establishing the new service, with officials acknowledging the efforts of collection teams and thanking residents for their patience and support while the programme beds in.

Food waste collected through the scheme will be diverted from general waste, helping to reduce landfill and enabling it to be processed into useful by-products such as compost and renewable energy.

With 100 tonnes already collected and further phases of the rollout still to come, the council says the service is “shaping up really well” — and credits residents for making the early success possible.