Plans for new food waste bins for Fareham homes approved as well as the purchase of new bin lorries
Plans to buy a new food waste bin for every household in Fareham - as well as new lorries - have been given an early green light to avoid the council being caught up in price wars.
Fareham Borough Council’s executive approved the plans to buy diesel lorries that run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and caddies that go outside peoples’ homes across the borough to collect food waste.
Councillor Ian Bastable (Con, Park Gate) said he was delighted to finally bring something forward that has a significant positive environmental impact for the borough. The lorries running on hydrotreated vegetable oil are said to minimise the impact of the new service on the council’s carbon emissions.
He said: “It was important we do it now so that we do not end up in a bidding war and are ready to go at the end of March 2026.”
The scheme will reduce food waste as well as reduce residual waste, he said.
Cllr Bastable said the intention is to make the caddie lids colourful, not a black lid on a black bin. He said this would “avoid tripping up on them in the dark and bin men not being able to find them in the dark”.
Executive leader of the council, Councillor Simon Martin (Con, Park Gate) said: “It’s important that residents know the waste will be disposed of in an anaerobic digester in Portsmouth.“
Meanwhile, the five new 7.5-tonne diesel bin lorries will have sealed bodies to stop leaking of any liquids, said Cllr Bastable. The budget for the lorries is £613,800 for diesel and it would have cost double for electric vehicles which was not in the budget.
The council will also purchase in the region 48,000 caddies or “as many kerbside caddies as possible” with the £218,335 budget from the government, said Cllr Bastable. He said more may be needed as new homes will be built by 2026 which is why the number is uncertain. Any extra caddies needed will be funded by the council’s capital budgets, he said.
The council members approved the first chunk of money, £843,335 for the food waste recycling scheme. It includes the five lorries, kerbside bins, and the upgrade at Broadcut Depot and the Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
While it does not form part of this current proposal, the council is also set to buy smaller food waste bins for residents to use inside homes.
The council received £969,223 in April as part of a new burdens fund to pay for the food waste recycling capital costs. It will cover £613,800 for lorries, £218,335 for kerbside caddies, £106,065 for kitchen caddies and £31,023 for communal wheeled bins.