Hartlepool Borough Council to Launch Food Waste Collection Trial with 1000 homes involved.

Rossmere residents first to trial weekly food waste service ahead of a town wide rollout...

13th November 2025

Hartlepool Borough Council is set to begin rolling out food waste collections across the town in the coming months – starting with a trial involving around 1,000 homes in the Rossmere area.

Residents living in 49 streets across the ward will receive letters this week confirming they’ve been selected for the pilot scheme. Two special food waste bins (known as caddies) – one for kitchen use and a larger one for outdoor storage – will be delivered to each property from 17th November.

The council says weekly collections of food waste will officially begin on Tuesday 25th November. Each household will also receive biodegradable caddy bags and an information leaflet explaining how the new system works.

Trial Streets Announced

The scheme covers a large section of the Rossmere estate, including Aberdeen Road, Alness Grove, Balmoral Road, Brierton Lane (Stockton Road–Catcote Road), Catcote Road (Brierton Lane–Owton Manor Lane), Owton Manor Lane (Catcote Road–Stockton Road), Rossmere Way and several adjoining streets.

A full list of the 49 streets included in the pilot can be found on the council’s website.

Council: ‘A Step Towards a Sustainable Future’

Councillor Owen Riddle, Chair of the Neighbourhoods and Regulatory Services Committee & is standing for re-election in the council ward in May 2026, said the initiative is part of the council’s wider environmental commitment:

“As a Council, we are always looking at ways of increasing local recycling levels as part of our commitment to a sustainable future, so we would appeal to residents to support this initiative. We are pleased to be able to offer a weekly collection for food waste which is often attributed to making existing bin provision smell.”

Riddle added that the service will be expanded across the borough once the initial trial phase is complete. Further details about the wider rollout will be published on the council’s website in due course.

Part of a National Legal Requirement

The move comes ahead of a new national law requiring all local councils in England to collect food waste weekly from April 2026. The change forms part of the Government’s drive to boost recycling rates and cut greenhouse gas emissions caused by biodegradable waste being sent to landfill.

Funding for the new bins and collection vehicles has been provided entirely by central government, meaning the project comes at no additional cost to Hartlepool residents.

If successful, the Rossmere pilot will help shape how the scheme operates town-wide, including which areas are added next and how frequently collections take place during the rollout period.

Residents are being encouraged to visit the council’s website for updates as the food waste collection service expands across Hartlepool in the coming months.