Residents across Leicestershire will soon face big changes in where they put their food waste.

The government has made it a requirement for all councils in England to introduce weekly food waste recycling, with the original start date for all councils just days away.

However, some authorities across Leicestershire have struggled with the April start date due to various difficulties, including funding and contractual issues.

When the new system starts, food waste will be collected separately in a food waste bin.

Households will be supplied with a small kitchen caddy and a larger one for outside. This will be provided in addition to the usual recycling and rubbish collections.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service looked at councils across Leicester and Leicestershire to find out when their collection services would begin. Dates range from March 2026 to 2028.

Blaby

According to Blaby District Council's website, food waste collections will start from Monday, March 30. In terms of collections, it notes: "Food waste will be collected every week on the same day as we collect your other waste and recycling, but by a separate vehicle."

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Charnwood

Charnwood advised the LDRS that it is expecting to start food waste collections in the area in September 2026.

Harborough

According to Harborough District Council's website, food waste collections will start week commencing Monday, November 2. In terms of collections, it notes: "This will be a weekly service and food waste will be collected on the same day as we collect your other waste and recycling, but by a separate vehicle."

Hinckley & Bosworth

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council advised the LDRS that all areas of Hinckley and Bosworth now have a weekly food waste collection.

The authority said: "We've rolled out the service across the borough throughout this month. The first weekly food collections started in some areas on Monday, March 2, and all areas have a food waste collection as of this week, commencing Monday, March 23."

Leicester

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Leicester City Council said a date for the introduction of weekly food waste collections in Leicester has not yet been determined, as the city council's current waste contract runs until 2028.

Melton

Melton Borough Council advised the LDRS that it planned to implement food waste collections in April 2028.

North West Leicestershire

North West Leicestershire District Council told the LDRS it had been running food waste collections to around 4,000 households in areas of the district for several years and will be rolling the service out across the rest of the district as part of its new waste and recycling collection system from around November 2026.

The authority said this is a major change programme for NWLDC and it is currently working on getting everything ready to launch, including new containers, caddies and bins, as well as ordering the new vehicles.

Oadby and Wigston

The Oadby and Wigston Borough Council website notes that weekly food waste recycling collections will start from Monday, March 30. It states that food waste will be collected on the same day as the other waste and recycling.