Date set for Wiltshire weekly food waste collection rollout

A council has set a date for its food waste collection rollout.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has previously said all local authorities should provide the service by 31 March 2026, under the Environment Act 2021.

However, some councils, including Wiltshire Council, have been given dispensation due to current contractual arrangements with service providers.

Wiltshire Council will start collecting weekly food waste from 1 August 2027.

Defra will provide some capital funding to councils to support the transition to the new service.

Councillor Nick Holder, cabinet member for environment, said: "The changes through the Environment Act will have a significant impact on waste services throughout the country.

"We've been awaiting clear detail from Defra on these important issues for some time, so it's good to now have the necessary direction so that we can begin to plan these services in detail for our residents."

He added: "We know people are rightly passionate about food waste collection and perhaps want the service earlier but due to our current contractual arrangements this isn't possible.

"However, in the meantime, we will be doing what we can do to support and advise residents before our collection service starts in 2027."

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