Adur and Worthing councils have confirmed a phased roll-out of weekly food waste collections beginning next month as part of the government’s Simpler Recycling scheme. The move will see households issued with two new containers to separate food waste for collection and processing.
What residents will receive and how it will work
Every household in the two districts will be supplied with:
- Two containers for food waste
- A leaflet explaining how the new service operates
- A roll of compostable liners to place inside the food waste bin
Councils say food waste will be collected on a weekly basis, typically on the same day as either recycling or general waste collections for each address. Collected material will be taken to a processing plant near Horsham, where it will be converted into renewable energy and fertiliser that can be used by local farmers.
"Once collections start, your food waste recycling bin will always be emptied no matter how little it contains," said Councillor Andrew Harvey, Adur's cabinet member for environment.
Councillor Martin McCabe, Worthing's cabinet member for environment, added that similar schemes elsewhere in West Sussex have proved successful and are likely to encourage households to reduce waste over time.
Practical points and next steps
Residents will be given more detailed information closer to the launch date for their street, including the specific start date for collections at each address. The councils emphasise that separating food waste can lower the amount of residual rubbish sent to landfill and may change household habits around throwing food away.
| Feature | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Containers supplied | Two food waste containers + leaflet + compostable liners |
| Processing location | Facility near Horsham |
This change aligns Adur and Worthing with other parts of West Sussex that have already introduced food recycling and sits within the wider government effort to simplify household recycling and increase capture of organic waste.
Further operational details, including exact rollout dates for each area and guidance on what can be placed in the food waste bins, will be issued by the councils in the weeks ahead.
