Bin collections could start to look different in the coming weeks following the signing of a new waste and recycling contract by Cornwall Council.

Although the contract with Biffa won't start until February 1 next year, a fleet of new road sweepers, rubbish and recycling lorries are already being rolled out.

The council said the new vehicles are more environmentally friendly than the existing fleet and include the latest vehicle technology. Some of them arrived last month and are coming into operation already.

All of the vehicles comply with Euro 6 standards – the latest regulations set by the European Union to help reduce the level of harmful pollutants produced by new vehicles.

The new contract, which was signed this week, covers refuse and recycling collections and street, beach and public open space cleaning, as well as collections for bulky, clinical and garden, council office and commercial waste.

It will also see the introduction of a weekly food waste collection and fortnightly rubbish and recycling collections.

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And even when the new contract starts in February, householders won’t see the major changes to their kerbside collection services, such as the difference in collection regularity, until the following year. This allows time to make changes to the sites where the food waste and recycling is delivered.

Cllr Rob Nolan, portfolio holder for environment and public protection, said: “It’s great to see the new fleet being rolled out across Cornwall and we’re delighted to be working with Biffa for another eight years.

“The lorries are part of a much wider plan to deliver a more efficient waste and recycling collection service.

“Most top performing local authorities in the UK already operate a weekly food waste and fortnightly rubbish collection and we are confident this planned change will significantly improve recycling rates in Cornwall.

“The changes to collections won’t happen straight away and a lot of work is being done to ensure everyone is prepared.

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“We will be contacting households towards the end of next year to give further details of the service changes including information on the new bins to be provided for food recycling and rubbish collections.

“In the meantime, we are asking that everyone thinks about how much they throw away and to recycle as much as they can using the current services.

“We can all make a start by reducing the amount of food we put in the bin. Currently around one third of the contents of the average black bin bag in Cornwall is made up of food waste.

“By shopping smarter, using leftovers and home composting you can make a huge difference.”

Roger Edwards, managing director of Biffa’s Municipal division, said: “We are delighted to continue our working partnership with Cornwall Council. Our aim is to continue to develop and provide new services for everyone in the county and the introduction of the new vehicle fleet, along with the latest technology will support our plans.”

What will change?

Cornwall Council will be introducing weekly food waste collections and fortnightly rubbish and recycling collections from 2022.

Most homes across Cornwall will be provided with:

  • A 1. 7 litre food caddy for use in the kitchen
  • A 23 litre food storage caddy for storing food waste outside
  • A 180 litre wheeled bin, or alternative reusable protective sack for rubbish, dependant on storage and access requirements.

To see what can be recycled in Cornwall, or to order recycling collection bags, visit the Cornwall Council website.

You can also find out how you can reduce the amount of food you throw away at lovefoodhatewaste.com