NEW Forest District Council has progressed with plans for a new waste collection from 2025 in a three-phase rollout.

The new service will include new food waste collections and wheelie bins for recycling and rubbish. 

Alongside this food waste will be collected weekly while recycling and rubbish will be collected on alternate weeks.

Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said “Thank you to all our residents who recycle, it makes a big difference. We will be updating our service so we can recycle even more, separate food waste, and reduce what’s thrown away.  

“This is something we must do to meet government requirements to separate food waste, and our own targets to increase recycling rates, tackle climate change, and reduce the amount of overall general waste, and litter from sacks.”

Depending on location, residents will switch to the new service between summer 2025 and spring 2026.

The Lymington waste depot will launch the rollout, followed by Ringwood depot, before Hardley serves as the third and final phase.

Cllr Blunded said: “We are busy working on arrangements for the updated service, to ensure it works for the long term for our residents. As we progress with this, more details will be publicised.

"Nearer the time, we will write to residents and provide further details, including dates the new service will start in their area, how to use the service, how we can offer support, any changes to collection days, and when bins will be delivered.”

No changes will be made to glass collection which will still be collected every four weeks with properties to use the same glass container that is currently used.

The district council has planned to offer a range of support, including specialist waste advisors who will be on hand to talk to residents.

The council has begun to develop collection rounds to help it understand exactly when each property in the district will join the new service.

Before the new service is put in place, the council said it will make sure to confirm which areas of the New Forest fall into each phase.

Residents can find more information on the council's website.