Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole | Posted on January 8th, 2026 | return to news

Food waste to be collected across Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

The new service will be launched from 6 April for homes and flats which don’t yet have food waste collection.

A total of an additional 102,673 households across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) will soon benefit from weekly food waste collections as the council prepares to launch a new service from 6 April.

This means that all Poole homes and flats in Bournemouth which don’t yet have food waste collection will soon get weekly pick-ups, joining all the other householders across Bournemouth and Christchurch who are already able to recycle their food waste.

The update comes as part of the UK government’s Simpler Recycling reforms, designed to make recycling easier and more consistent across England. For BCP residents, these changes mean a consistent food waste recycling service for everyone, so no matter where you live, the rules will be the same and recycling will be simpler.

From January to March 2026, all households in Poole and flats in Bournemouth will be delivered everything they need to get started. Individual households will receive a kitchen caddy and an external food waste bin, and flats will receive a kitchen caddy and a communal external food waste bin.

The new food waste collection service will start from 6 April 2026. Food waste will be collected every week on the same day as the rubbish and recycling by a separate lorry. This makes it easy for everyone to recycle as part of their daily routine.

Collected food waste is taken to a special recycling plant in Dorset, where it is broken down to create a type of renewable gas (a clean energy source made from food scraps). This gas is then used to make electricity, which goes back into the national grid.

The process also produces a rich soil booster that supports local farms to grow crops, so they don’t need to use as many chemical fertilisers.

This ensures that every food scrap collected becomes a beneficial resource for the region.

Cllr Andy Hadley, Cabinet member for Sustainability and Environment, said: “Most people in BCP already recycle, and these changes will make it even simpler. By having one clear system for everyone, we’re removing confusion and making recycling part of everyday life.

“Our aim is to help everyone to recycle more and every effort you make — big or small — makes a difference. Being mindful of the food you throw away, and finding ways to cut back on this waste, will also save you money. On average, households in the UK discard £700 worth of edible food every year.”

Around 30 per cent of household rubbish bin contents are food waste. Separating this out cuts down on the amount of waste that ends up in landfill or other disposal sites, reducing greenhouse gas emissions which have a harmful impact on the environment.

Every bit of food waste recycled also helps cut council spending, meaning more money can go towards services that benefit everyone in the community.

For more details about the new food waste recycling service, please visit bcpcouncil.gov.uk/new-food-waste-collections.