15 new bin lorries totalling £2m bought for Wirral food waste collections

£2m has been spent on buying up 15 new bin lorries as Wirral Council prepares to bring in food waste collections. The major change to bin services is happening due to a government change across England.

The change is being brought in across England following a law passed under the previous Conservative government in 2021 with the aim of improving recycling rates. Councils across England will have to start recycling food waste by law from April 2026 and Wirral is preparing for the new changes.

At an environment, climate emergency, and transport meeting in Wirral, councillors unanimously approved varying the local authority’s contract with Biffa Waste Services. The plan is for every household in Wirral to be given smaller bins, called a caddy, to keep food waste secure until it can be collected.

However people can choose if they want to recycle their food waste.

Following this decision, the council has now purchased 15 new bin lorries which will run separately from recycling, rubbish, and garden waste collections. In Wirral, £2.4m is being provided by the government to get the service going but the service is expected to cost an initial £3.3m with £3m for the following year.

Following the council’s decision in March to purchase new vehicles alongside the other councils in the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, officers have approved the purchase from Faun, a manufacturer of bin lorries and road sweepers. This is for the delivery of 15 12-tonne food waste vehicles for £2.06m.

A council decision notice said: “Making the decision now and placing the order will ensure the Council receives the food waste vehicles in time for the food waste contract variation order with Biffa to commence on time in April 2026.

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“Whilst the Liverpool City Region Partnership has all procured in concert, it is for each of the individual authorities to place their own individual orders. The Liverpool City Region [Partnership] is a collection of authorities and not a legally constituted Partnership.”

As well as reducing the amount of waste not being recycled, food waste recycling can have other benefits too. The energy created from processing the waste can be used to power homes.

However during the meeting in March where councillors approved the change to the Biffa contract, concerns were raised by West Kirby councillor Jenny Johnson about the risk of vermin after hearing concerns about maggots, rats, and foxes. In response officers said the new bins would be lockable and the council will ask for food to be bagged.

Cllr Allan Brame said it was a good job the authority was getting ready to do it arguing food recycling had been a proven success elsewhere but added: “We have got to do this. We should be doing this but it’s going to cost us.”

However Labour councillors also criticised what they said was past scaremongering over the issue. Cllr Steve Foulkes said councillors had undermined a past effort to introduce food recycling, adding: “If we can work together as all parties, we can deliver this and take the public with us.”