OPINION: ‘A recipe for success – preparing for weekly food waste collections’

OPINION: By March 2026, all local authorities in England will need to offer weekly food waste collections (unless a transitional arrangement is in place). According to the latest government data (WasteDataFlow 2022/23), less than half of all households in England currently receive a kerbside food waste collection, so the mandating of food waste collections to all households represents a significant change that will require careful preparation.

In March this year, Defra announced £295 million of new capital funding to support local authorities with the cost of specialist collection vehicles and food waste containers. Given concerns that this funding will not cover the full cost of implementation, many local authorities will need to source additional capital funding to close the gap.

Cash-strapped local authorities will be pleased to know that, according to WRAP’s Gate Fees Report 2023/24, median gate fees for anaerobic digestion (£20/tonne) are less than for energy from waste (£117/tonne) – so separately collecting food waste could represent a great cost saving opportunity. However, the sudden increase in demand for anaerobic digestion capacity is likely to push up gate fees. In some regions, capacity may not exist so new facilities will need to be constructed.

With less than 18 months to go before the implementation deadline, here are some key commercial questions that local authorities should be considering:

1. Will Defra funding cover the full cost of implementation? How will any additional funding requirements be met? Will the surging demand for collection vehicles and food waste containers cause delays in implementation and/or push up prices?
2. What will be the impact on existing contracts (e.g. guaranteed minimum tonnage commitments)? Will these need to be varied or terminated? At what cost?
3. Will the services be operated in house or outsourced? If outsourced, how will the services be procured? Could preliminary market engagement help to determine key contract parameters (e.g. contract length, contract size) to maximise market interest and deliver value for money?
4. What are neighbouring authorities doing? How will this impact on local supply and demand dynamics? Could it be beneficial to collaborate with them?

Separate food waste collections have the potential to move the dial on England’s stagnating recycling performance and local authorities will play a pivotal role in the successful delivery of this initiative. Local authorities will need to act with urgency to meet the implementation deadline, ensuring their waste strategy is robust, addresses all new legislative requirements holistically and reflects market appetite and capacity.