Nearly 9,000 households are to be included in the weekly caddy collection trial which will assess the feasibility of rolling out food waste services across the city. Residents in Drayton/Cosham, Somerstown, Old Portsmouth, Portsea, Southsea, Eastney and Baffins will be involved.
Introduction of the trial comes as the government looks to have more councils in England collect food waste from the kerbside. The measure is one of the consistency plans set out in the government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for the collection of waste and recyclables from homes (see letsrecycle.com story).
Analysis in autumn 2018 found that 40% of residual waste collected in Portsmouth was food waste, 30% of which was avoidable. Currently the city has a recycling rate of just 24.8%. The six-month trial is estimated to cost the council up to £189,000.
Demand
Cllr Dave Ashmore, cabinet member for environment and climate change at Portsmouth city council, said: “I am delighted that the food waste collection trial is launching in Portsmouth as it is something that many residents have asked us for.
“It is important that we do whatever we can to reduce waste and recycle more and I am keen to see what impact the trial will have on reducing waste in the city.”
“It is important that we do whatever we can to reduce waste and recycle more and I am keen to see what impact the trial will have on reducing waste in the city.”
Portsmouth claims that food waste collections could improve their recycling rate by 4-8%, according to a report given to the Environment and Community Safety cabinet in February. The trial is due to begin from the week beginning 16 September.
Residents who have been chosen to participate will be given two food waste caddies, one for use in the kitchen and the other to keep outside for kerbside collection. The costs of the six-month trial is estimated to cost £189,000.
The first three months will be the primary part of the trial, with the latter half used as a period of evaluation before a decision is made about a wider roll out of the scheme.
This evaluation will include monitoring refuse and food waste tonnages, along with ‘put out’ rates and feedback from residents participating in the trial.
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