Household food waste collections will begin in the Horsham District by spring 2026.
A phased roll-out of weekly food waste collections will launch in March 2026, with household refuse and recycling collections continuing as usual every two weeks.
Horsham District councillors approved plans for weekly food waste collections back in March 2024.
Food waste collections are being introduced to help us improve our recycling rates as well as to comply with the Government's simpler recycling scheme which was introduced to create consistency in the way recycling, food waste and garden waste are collected across the country.
Currently some 41.5% of the rubbish in an average Horsham District waste bin is made up of food waste.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Waste for Horsham District Council Cllr Jay Mercer commented:
I am delighted that we will be starting our food waste collections for residents in spring 2026.
When it comes to overall recycling, we have a great track record here in the Horsham District. Thanks to our amazing residents we currently recycle over 51% of our waste products which is the highest recycling rate in West Sussex.
However, there is always more progress we can make, and introducing a weekly food waste collection will go a long way to further reducing the levels of food waste that go to waste and will help boost our overall recycling rates.
Households with a kerbside collection will receive a five-litre caddy to use in the kitchen and a 23-litre food waste caddy to place out on collection day. Whilst food waste will be collected weekly, all collections of rubbish, recycling and garden waste (if subscribed to) will continue, to be collected fortnightly.
By diverting food waste, it can be recycled via anaerobic digestion into bio-fertiliser and energy. The bio-fertiliser will be used as fertiliser for farmers’ fields and the energy will power the anaerobic digestion facility, with any excess being exported to the national grid to be used in homes.
The food waste collections are initially being part-funded by the Government.
We start collecting commercial food waste from local businesses from March 2025.
To receive updates and timely reminders of all your collections, please download the Horsham District Council mobile app.
Alternatively you can visit:
https://www.horsham.gov.uk/waste-recycling-and-bins/household-bin-collections/food-waste