HOUSEHOLDS across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are set to see a major change to their bin collections with weekly food waste recycling rolled out to every home from April next year.

BCP Council has confirmed that from April 6, all households – including Poole homes and flats in Bournemouth that currently miss out – will receive a dedicated weekly food waste collection.

More than 100,000 households will be included in the expansion, creating a single, consistent system across the conurbation.

The move is part of the government’s Simpler Recycling reforms, which aim to standardise recycling services across England and make it easier for residents to know what can be recycled, wherever they live.

For BCP residents, it means the same food waste rules for everyone, ending years of variation between areas.

In the run-up to the launch, between January and March, households will be given everything they need to take part.

Houses will receive a kitchen caddy and an outdoor food waste bin, while flats will be provided with a kitchen caddy and shared external food waste bins.

Food waste will be collected weekly on the same day as rubbish and recycling, using a separate lorry – a move the council says will make the service easy to slot into everyday routines.

Once collected, food waste will be taken to a specialist recycling facility in Dorset, where it will be broken down to produce renewable gas.

This gas is used to generate electricity for the national grid, while the leftover material becomes a nutrient-rich soil improver for local farms, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers.

Cabinet member for sustainability and the environment Cllr Andy Hadley said the changes would make a positive difference for both residents and the environment.

“Most people in BCP already recycle, and these changes will make it even simpler,” he said.

“By having one clear system for everyone, we’re removing confusion and making recycling part of everyday life.”

Around 30% of the average household rubbish bin is made up of food waste, the council says.

Separating it out reduces the amount sent to landfill or disposal sites, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and helping to reduce council costs.

Residents who already compost at home can continue to do so, particularly for uncooked food waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings.

The new service is designed to collect items that cannot be composted at home, including cooked food, meat, fish, bones and dairy products.

The council says cutting food waste can also save households money with the average UK family estimated to throw away around £700 of edible food each year.

Further details about the new service are available on the BCP Council website.