From Monday 13 October 2025, every household in Test Valley will start receiving weekly food waste collections as part of a major change to local recycling services.
Residents will be provided with a grey 5-litre kitchen caddy for collecting food scraps indoors, and most households will also get a 23-litre kerbside caddy for weekly emptying by new specialist vehicles.
For flats and properties with shared bin stores, the council will supply a 140-litre grey-lidded wheelie bin for shared use, with each household receiving its own kitchen caddy.
Caddy deliveries start from 26 August and will run for up to seven weeks. All residents will get a postcard in September confirming their food waste collection day.
The scheme is being introduced ahead of the government deadline of April 2026, with Test Valley Borough Council launching it five months early as part of efforts to improve recycling rates.
What happens to the waste?
Once collected, all food waste will be taken to a local anaerobic digestion facility, where it will be turned into biogas for fuel and a nutrient-rich fertiliser for farming.
What can go in the caddy?
Almost all food waste will be accepted, including:
- Uneaten food and plate scrapings
- Raw and cooked meat or fish (including bones)
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Fruit and vegetable peelings
- Dairy products like cheese
- Out-of-date or mouldy food
Each caddy pack will include a starter roll of compostable liners (enough for around 10 weeks). After that, residents can buy more liners locally or online, or use newspaper or paper towels instead. Food can also go in loose.
For the full list of what can and can’t be collected, visit testvalley.gov.uk/foodwaste.