PROPOSED changes to food and garden waste collections have been approved by councillors on Basildon's Policy Executive Committee.

This follows a recent consultation exercise in which more than 7,000 borough residents responded and approval by the Leisure and Environment Committee last month. The changes will be implemented in 2022/23

The following model was proposed by the member working group and discussed at the Leisure and Environment Committee following the consultation results:

• A weekly food waste collection service; collected via electric vehicles, provision of a 23 litre outdoor caddy and a 5 litre kitchen caddy for indoor use, and 50 kitchen caddy liners annually to each property free of charge.
• A fortnightly, free of charge garden waste collection, collected via your current green wheelie bins (or garden waste sacks).

Chairman of the Policy Executive Committee and Leader of Basildon Council said: "This is a significant step forward for our wider waste strategy and ambitions to become a carbon net-zero organisation by 2030.

"We have been set clear targets by The Circular Economy Package, which commit the UK to achieve a recycling rate of 65% by 2035, an ambition we have adopted in Basildon.

"Nationally, the revised Waste Strategy for England and the Environment Bill are also aiming to radically change how waste is reduced, reused and recycled.

"The forthcoming Environment Bill states that food and garden waste must be collected separately from homes and businesses from 2023. Because of this there are fewer places which will be able to accept mixed food and garden waste in the future. Over a third of what goes into our black sacks is food waste - this is environmentally damaging, and we must all do our bit to make a difference."

"I would stress though that we are committed to ensuring a continued weekly collection of 'stinky waste', and a flexible approach tailored to individual areas for the rest of our refuse collection. It is now incumbent on everyone to assist us by putting out their refuse at the right time and in the right manner."

Basildon Council sought the views of residents following a successful trial of separate collections which concluded at the start of the year. Of those who took part 88% said they would be happy for it to be introduced.

The formal consultation on the proposals took place from Monday 12 July until Sunday 22 August and early analysis of results shows that the majority of residents strongly supported the proposed size of food waste containers and that the provision of biodegradable liners were strongly supported by residents.

In terms of garden waste collections residents strongly supported a free fortnightly service all year round and were against charging for weekly collections and stopping collections over the winter months.