This project is a huge undertaking, and so please bear with us as we deliver caddies and bins to every individual property across more than 300 square miles. The service will be introduced in stages, with different areas coming on board over a number of months.

Implementing a new service like this requires meticulous planning, but we are really pleased with the progress made so far. From March, all councils in England that do not already offer a food waste collection service must have one in place. This will be a significant change and promises to bring substantial benefits to our district — especially as around a third of the average rubbish bin in the Chichester District is food waste.

The new food waste recycling vehicles have arrived, and we will soon be receiving the bins and caddies required for the new service. Dedicated food waste rounds have also been designed and refined using specialist software, so a great deal of work has been taking place behind the scenes to prepare for the launch.

We have designed completely new rounds for this service to make sure the routes are as efficient as possible. This means that when the service goes live, it won’t launch in one specific area of the district and there will be staggered start dates for different areas. Collection dates may also be different to our existing crew rounds. This is why we’re encouraging you to download our free Chichester District Council app or visit: www.chichester.gov.uk/checkyourbinday where the dates will be available at the start of March.

We want to make sure that you have all the information you need to make this a great success. We have already started issuing regular updates about how the new service will work, including within ‘initiatives’ and on social media. We are also encouraging you to download the app and visit our dedicated webpages at www.chichester.gov.uk/food-waste for the latest guidance and frequently asked questions.

As the service is being introduced in phases, delivery timings will vary by area. If you have not received your new caddy by your first collection date, which can be found at: www.chichester.gov.uk/checkyourbindayfrom the beginning of March, please complete an online form at: www.chichester.gov.uk/food-waste

Once the service begins, you simply need to place food waste — such as plate scrapings, peelings and tea bags — into your kitchen caddy. When full, the contents should be emptied into the outdoor food waste recycling bin ready for weekly collection.

Food waste includes uneaten food and plate scrapings, dairy products such as cheese and eggs, bread, cakes, pastries, raw meat, cooked meat and bones. It also includes tea bags, coffee grounds, cooked vegetables, peelings, fish, pasta, rice and beans.

Once collected, food waste will be recycled at an anaerobic digestion facility in Horsham where it will be used to generate natural forms of energy, such as biogas and bio fertilisers. This is a much more efficient and environmentally friendly way of processing food waste.

Best Wishes

Cllr Mark Chilton

Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Services and Chichester Contract Services at Chichester District Council