The new food waste collection service is expected to “dramatically improve” in coming weeks, councillors have heard. The new service began in Rye in recent weeks, with reports of missed collections and delivery delays.
Councillors heard on Friday 24 April that the service, operated by Biffa on behalf of the East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership, has experienced teething problems since its phased launch started in late March.
The partnership, which includes Hastings Borough Council, Rother District Council and Wealden District Council, reviewed early performance data at a monitoring meeting, the first since food waste collections were introduced.
Council officer Shaun Barnes said the service is still in its infancy, with all 17 collection rounds only fully operational from the week beginning 13 April. During that week, crews collected 162.8 tonnes of food waste, roughly one kilogram per household. He estimated between 50% and 60% of households have been taking part.
However, councillors raised concerns about inconsistent service. Kathryn Field (Liberal Democrat) said she had received numerous complaints from residents about missed collections and households yet to receive their food waste caddies. “Those of us who remember life before Biffa were delighted when they arrived, because complaints dropped significantly,” she said. “But with food waste collections, it feels like we’ve gone back 15 years.”
Biffa representative Trevor Elliott acknowledged early difficulties, citing staff training and vehicle issues as contributing factors. The company has introduced 20 new vehicles and recruited additional staff to deliver the service. Despite the setbacks, he said improvements are expected soon as crews become more familiar with routes and operations. “I am expecting it to improve dramatically beyond next week.”
The partnership says performance will continue to be closely monitored in the coming weeks.
Image Credits: James Stewart .