Shropshire Council has warned that it may not be able to collect food waste weekly until 2039.
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
The Government set a legal requirement for the introduction of weekly food waste collections for all households by 1st April 2026. Shropshire Council says that funding provided is not sufficient due to the rurality of our county and the complexity of its contract with Veolia. As a result, it may not be able to provide weekly collections until 2039.Reducing food waste has been identified as a key “emergency brake” action to reduce climate change impacts but also helps reduce the cost of wasted food,which are estimated to be £1000 a year for the average household of four.
We urge Shropshire Council to invest in community waste reduction and composting campaigns which can significantly reduce food waste at a low cost and in which we have a great track record in Shropshire.
Shrewsbury Food Hub have developed an effective Taste With No Waste Challenge. It’s fun and engaging with practical tips from by chef Steve“The Hungry” Guy. It helps people reduce their waste by more than 70%, saving money and reducing stress around food planning.
Shropshire Master Composters have trained volunteers who share composting skills. We partnered with them at 20 schools in our Schools Food Web project in 2025 - 2026, introducing Hot Bin composters to reduce food waste and create compost for growing. The typical primary school composted 1 T of food waste, producing 650 kg of compost worth about £1000 and saving about £1350 in food waste disposal costs, not to mention the saving of CO2 emissions.
By investing in prevention with community partners, the council can create a new culture where food is valued not wasted, so that when a household food waste collection service is finally reintroduced, it can be done so at a smaller scale and lower cost.
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