THURROCK Council's portfolio holder for Place and the Environment has welcomed the start of the 'roll-out' of weekly food waste collections across the borough.

Over recent days residents in some areas have been issued with food bins and caddies, with more set to be delivered in coming weeks.

Eventually every house will receive an indoor food caddy, a locking outside food bin, a roll of compostable caddy liners and leaflet explaining what goes in food waste, when collections will take place and the best way to use the caddy and bin. Government funding has been given to local authorities to cover the costs of launching food waste collections.

Cllr Victoria Holloway said: "We have listened to residents' concerns following the introduction of the alternate weekly collection schedule and brought weekly food waste collections forward to answer them.

"This weekly collection not only helps the environment, it will also reduce the amount of general waste we all put out and keep our grey or green bins free of smelly food waste, something we know was an issue for a lot of people.

"Collections will take place every week on the same day that households' recycling or waste bin is collected. Once collected food waste is processed into biogas, which is used to generate energy or power vehicles, and a nutrient-rich fertiliser to help crops grow or to regenerate land."

A change in legislation means that from 2026 local authorities have a legal obligation to provide a separate, weekly food waste collection service.

New bins are being delivered over the next six weeks. Each household's first collection will be the week after they receive their new bins. The first collections have taken place this week.

Caddies and lockable outdoor food bins are for leftover food, fruit and vegetable peels, bones, tea bags, coffee grounds and any plate scrapings. The outdoor food waste bin should be filled from the caddy and put out for collection every week.

While Thurrock is pressing ahead with the food waste caddy distribution and says it has not plans to change alternate weekly collections, neighbouring Basildon Council could be about to scrap its fortnightly system.

Basildon Council leader Gavin Callaghan.

Its Labour leader, Gavin Callaghan, wants to scrap the current "disastrous bin system" which includes a fortnightly recycling scheme that requires people to separate their recycling themselves.

He says: "I am acutely aware that we won the election back in May by essentially making it a referendum on the disastrous bin system."

The existing system sparked fury across the borough including a petition signed by 2,606 people who were frustrated with the changes. At the time the Tory lead administration insisted the changes were introduced in a bid to improve poor recycling rates across the borough

It is estimated the switch back to weekly will come at a cost of £3 million to the council.