Test Valley: Plans for three-weekly bin collections approved

The council believes the changes will increase recycling rates to 55%

Plans to collect general waste once every three weeks and introduce weekly food waste collections have been approved.

The changes will be introduced across the Test Valley Borough Council area from 2024.

The council said the move - which will include kerbside glass and thin plastic collections - would improve recycling rates.

But some residents have raised concerns about vermin and bad smells.

The authority, which approved the proposals on Wednesday, acknowledged there may be challenges ahead.

But it stressed food waste would be collected on a weekly basis rather than fortnightly like it currently is.

'Horrible'

The changes include the introduction of food waste caddies for all properties as well as new blue bins to recycle glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and pots, tubs and trays, cans, tins and aerosols.

Black bins for general waste would be collected on week one, fibres including paper and cardboard on week two, and blue bins on week three, according to the council.

The changes were welcomed by several residents, with one saying the food waste collection was "essential" and would make "a huge difference".

But others raised concerns, particularly about the three-weekly general waste collections.

In a social media post, one resident said "having the black bin emptied three weekly will be horrible in warm weather".

Council leader Phil North previously said the changes were "the very best way to push up recycling rates as high as they can possibly go".

"We know that some people might be concerned about having their non-recyclables collected every third week," he said.

"But we will be working to support people through the change, and with the new blue bin and food waste caddy there will be a lot less in people's black bins."