Lack of lorries and drivers 'hit food waste plans'

A report lists problems with the Exeter service roll-out as the city tries to up its recycling rate from 28%.

Food waste collections are to be rolled out gradually across Exeter, but no dates have been set, a city council report has said.

Plans for kerbside collections of glass and food were first announced in 2019, but the roll-out of the glass service was put on hold indefinitely in 2021.

In November, a pilot of the food service began in the Alphington area, with the Labour-controlled council saying it would then introduce the scheme city-wide when able.

However, in a report due before a council scrutiny committee, the authority has been told the work “depends on the availability of drivers, vehicles, tipping facilities and on the announcement of legislation and government funding”, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The latest recycling statistics for Devon reveal just 28% of waste was recycled in Exeter in 2020/2021, less than half of the neighbouring East Devon district.

The council’s report blames a semiconductor shortage and the Covid pandemic for the short supply of vehicles, and said the authority was “working with our national leasing company to look at all avenues available to us”.

The report also said the availability of HGV/LGV drivers was a concern as the private sector was frequently offering higher wages, in some cases 15% more, than what the council could offer.