Latest news with #GeoffreyBlunden
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New food waste service collects more than 331 tonnes in just eight weeks
More than 331 tonnes of food waste have been recycled in the first eight weeks of a new council service. New Forest District Council's new waste and recycling service is underway for more than 31,000 residents in the phase one area. In the first eight weeks, more than 331 tonnes of food waste were recycled, enough to fill more than 6,000 sacks. The food waste is being turned into renewable energy and fertiliser, decreasing the amount of waste sent for incineration. Read more Council offers family-friendly recycling activities at county show Council housing services get satisfaction rating of 84 per cent Wheelie bin rollout begins for New Forest areas (Image: New Forest District Council) Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said: "This is a big shift in how we manage waste locally, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone in phase one for embracing the changes. "The volume of food waste being recycled already shows the collective impact we can make. "Every peel and plate scrape recycled helps reduce our environmental footprint." The new service encourages recycling by limiting the amount of general waste that can be left out in sacks. It also makes collections safer for crews, keeps streets tidier, and helps the council meet upcoming national recycling requirements. While the majority of collections have gone ahead as planned, the council recognises some residents have experienced disruption and are actively working to respond.
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New waste service helps recycle more than 331 tonnes of food waste
A new waste and recycling service has helped recycle more than 331 tonnes of food waste. This is enough to fill more than 6,000 sacks. The New Forest District Council initiative has been underway for eight weeks and benefits more than 31,000 residents in the phase one area. The food waste is being turned into fertiliser and renewable energy, reducing incineration waste. Councillor Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said: "This is a big shift in how we manage waste locally, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone in phase one for embracing the changes. "The volume of food waste being recycled already shows the collective impact we can make. "Every peel and plate scrape recycled helps reduce our environmental footprint. "Thank you to our hard-working crews and to the residents who are working with us as we move towards a cleaner, greener New Forest." The new service, which limits the amount of general waste that can be left out in sacks, aims to encourage more recycling and less waste. This also helps make collections safer for crews, keeps streets tidier and helps the council meet upcoming national recycling requirements. The council is actively reviewing routes, adding extra staff and listening to resident feedback to help things settle.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
New Forest lockable donkey-proof bins rejected by council
Lockable bins to prevent animals accessing food waste left out for recycling have been rejected by a Forest District Council said last month it was monitoring its roll out of wheelie bins and food waste caddies following reports of free-roaming donkeys and ponies breaking into owners have called for food waste collections to be suspended and Brockenhurst Green Party councillor Adam Parker said having locked bins would be a "common-sense solution".But the council said it would add time and cost to waste collections. The wheelie bins and caddies are replacing single-use black and clear plastic bags for New Forest residents' domestic and food waste, plus June the council said it had seen cases of donkeys in the national park "interacting with waste containers".Speaking at a meeting of the full council Parker said: "The common-sense solution to what's been happening in Brockenhurst is to disregard the 'one size fits all' policy – and let people leave their bins behind their gates and fences if they're at risk of donkeys."Portfolio holder for environment and sustainability councillor Geoffrey Blunden said while using lockable bins only added a few minutes to emptying each bin, cumulatively it "would add excessive time, cost and staff to complete rounds"."The new bins are an improvement from the plastic black sack easily ripped apart."He said the scheme is being monitored, with a residents' complaint forum to be set up to aid changes in the operation – but said it is not a big issue at the moment. The national park's free-roaming ponies, pigs, donkeys and cattle are owned by commoners - people who own or occupy land with ancient rights have raised concerns about animals seeing the bins as a "potential food source", which could damage their a meeting of the Verderers Court which administers commoners' rights, Commoners Defence Association (CDA) chairman Andrew Parry-Norton said the issue "would only worsen" with the approaching pannage season, when pigs are turned out onto the forest in autumn."Urgent discussions need to take place involving all interested parties, maybe suspending the separation of the waste food from general waste until this problem is solved," he move to wheelie bins was given the go-ahead in 2022 with the council insisting they were needed to increase recycling rates, while opponents argued they were unsightly and costly. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Damaged beach huts to be removed by New Forest District Council
A council has begun work to remove 43 cliffside beach huts that have been damaged or are at risk due to erosion and cliff Forest District Council (NFDC) has closed the site of the huts at the eastern section at Hordle Cliff, Milford on Sea, during the removal work is expected to take up to three weeks and will see contractors use land-based machinery to bring some of the huts up to Paddy's Gap for relocation or local authority said it has terminated some beach hut licences, when relocation was not possible. It added that under the licence conditions, the removal of a beach hut from the site is the responsibility of the council said the operation has been funded by beach hut income and contributions from the beach hut owners. Councillor Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability with NFDC, said: "We have every sympathy with those who have experienced impacts at this very challenging coastal area and have actively engaged with hut owners and the New Forest Beach Hut Owners Association."Beach erosion and cliff movement caused by winter storms has damaged some beach huts and caused others at the eastern end of Hordle Cliff to be at greater risk from future storms."We advise anyone considering buying a beach hut or other asset on, or close to, the coast to consider the risk before purchasing. "People are welcome to contact our coastal team to understand the risks." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Golden ticket wheelie bin rollout set to begin
The rollout of new wheelie bins in a council area is set to begin on Monday. New Forest District Council will begin delivering wheelie bins and food waste caddies to residents of Brockenhurst, New Milton, Lymington and the surrounding areas as part of the first phase of the council's new waste and recycling service. As part of the rollout, golden tickets have been hidden in five of the food waste caddies, and can be used to claim five prizes on offer. The bins will be delivered between 14 April and 6 June. Residents will get a black-lidded 180 litre wheelie bin for rubbish, a green-lidded 240 litre recycling bin, and an outdoor and an indoor caddy for the new food waste recycling service. In the caddies there will be an information leaflet, a starter role of caddy liners, and, for some residents, a golden ticket. The prizes on offer are an annual garden waste subscription, a New Forest Show family ticket, a compost bin or water butt, one bulky waste collection, or a £50 donation to the chairman's charity. Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said: "I encourage residents receiving their new bins to check their food waste caddy. "Not only for the chance to win with the golden ticket, but also as the 'Get Set' leaflet contains useful information about the new waste collection service, such as what can be put in their food waste caddies." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. New Forest wheelie bins plans approved Forest wheelie bins set for go-ahead Forest wheelie bins would be an 'eyesore' New Forest District Council
