 The incoming food waste collections will form an integral part of your collection service, and we encourage everyone to take part. Food waste is taken to be recycled via anaerobic digestion, which is better for the environment. Your food waste is also collected more frequently than general waste. Removing food waste from the general waste allows you to see how much food is being thrown away and often leads to a reduction in food waste.
Once collected, the food waste from homes will be taken to Transfer Stations across the county, where it will be compacted into larger volumes and then transported in bulk to the anaerobic digestion plant in Horsham. Once there the food waste will be processed and converted into biofertiliser and energy. The biofertiliser will be used for farmers fields and the energy will power the plant, with any excess exported to the national grid to be used in homes. You can learn more about anaerobic digestion here.
What can I put in my food waste bin?
Cooked and uncooked food waste can be recycled using the service, including:
- Meat - including bones
- Fish and shellfish
- Dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt
- Cooked and uncooked vegetables
- Fruit including peelings and nuts
- Bread, cakes and pastries
- Rice, pasta and beans
- Plate scrapings
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Eggshells
- Solid fats
- Pet food
- Mouldy and out-of-date food
- Fruit pits and stones
- Nut shells
What can’t I put in my food waste bin?
Please remove all packaging and plastic from food waste before putting into your food waste caddy and don’t put the following in your food waste bin:
- Non-food products or materials (e.g. cutlery)
- Packaging of any sort (e.g. packaged ready-meals and plastic carrier bags)
- Oils and liquids
- Animal waste and bedding
- Flowers
You can find more information on our website.
 From April 1 2026, Recycling Centres across West Sussex will switch to their extended spring / summer opening hours. As many of us begin tidying our gardens or clearing out our homes, Recycling Centres can become very busy over the summer period. Extending the hours helps manage this increased demand.
Don't forget, to visit any of the Recycling Centres you will need to book an appointment online. Bookings can be made on the day or up to two weeks in advance and are for 15 or 30 minutes, depending on the centre. The booking system provides visitors with more time and opportunity to recycle where possible, by ensuring items are disposed of in the correct area, rather than just being put into general waste.
It also enables staff more time to offer recycling advice and divert more materials to recycling. For more information and to book a slot, visit our website.
 Waste Week is back from 2–8 March 2026, and this year, we’re helping schools take action on food waste!
In England, new food waste collection rules came into effect on 31 March 2025, requiring schools to separate food waste from general waste. But food waste is a global issue—understanding how to reduce, manage, and recycle food waste is essential for all schools.
This campaign provides everything you need to reduce food waste, improve recycling, and prepare for future waste management changes—whether in England, the wider UK, or internationally.
Why get involved?
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Food waste collections are a requirement – If your school is in England, the new food waste collection law is in effect. If not, learn best practices that can help your school reduce food waste and improve sustainability.
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Engage students – Help young people understand food waste, its impact on the environment, and what they can do to help.
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Make a difference – Reduce waste, save resources, and contribute to a more sustainable planet.
 We are proud to support Love Food Hate Waste’s Food Waste Action Week from 9-15 March 2026. Food Waste Action Week is the flagship annual event delivered by WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign, helping reduce waste at home.
Every day, UK households throw away 4.4 million tonnes of edible food - worth a staggering £17.5 billion. That's an average of £1,000 wasted per household of four, every year. At a time when the cost of living continues to squeeze family budgets and climate pressures intensify, reducing food waste is one of the fastest, simplest ways to save money and protect the planet.
Here in West Sussex, up to 40% of the contents of an average households general waste bin is food waste! From bread and milk to fresh vegetables and leftovers, the food we buy with the best intentions, often ends up in the bin. But it doesn't have to be this way!
This week, Food Waste Action Week returns with a rallying cry: Make Your Food Go Fuuuuuuuurther - for your pocket, for our planet. The UK's biggest annual food waste prevention campaign aims to inspire simple, practical actions that helps food go further - saving money, time and stress.
In this new campaign for Love Food Hate Waste, everyday hacks take centre stage with themed daily content designed to show how preventing food waste unlocks value across every part of our lives. From meal planning tips and smart storage solutions to creative leftover recipes and recycling reminders. Keep an eye on our social media channels to see how you can take action on food waste!
 This month marks Mother’s Day (15 March). This year, why not celebrate in a way that also cares for the planet! By making a few simple choices, you can reduce waste while still making the day extra special. Here are some thoughtful, low-waste ideas to consider:
- Rather than giving material gifts, opt for experiences that create cherished memories.
- Handmade gifts are not only heartfelt but also help reduce waste. Use materials you already have to craft something special, such as a scrapbook of shared memories, or a homemade treat.
- Traditional wrapping paper often contains plastic making it non-recyclable. Instead, try wrapping gifts with reusable fabric, old maps, or newspaper for a unique and sustainable touch.
- Flowers are a classic Mother’s Day gift, but they often come wrapped in plastic and have a short lifespan. Consider gifting a potted plant instead – there are lots of lovely nurseries and plant shops right here in West Sussex!
If you receive gifts this year, check if the wrapping paper is recyclable by doing the scrunch test—if it stays scrunched, it can go in the recycling bin! Remember, envelopes and cards can also be recycled, and once flowers start to wilt, they can be composted rather than thrown away.
Throughout West Sussex, we are proud to work alongside a team of passionate waste prevention and recycling volunteers. They attend public and private events to promote waste prevention, reuse, and recycling, and are eager to answer questions about the county's recycling services and waste reduction initiatives.
In addition to the public events listed below, we are participating in numerous privately hosted talks and events for local community groups, schools, and other organisations. If you would like our team to give a talk, visit your school, attend an event, or if you would like more information, please contact us at: waste.prevention@westsussex.gov.uk.
We also support our partners at the district and borough councils with community outreach in selected areas, engaging residents on both recycling and waste prevention topics.
March / April events
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Saturday 7 March (10am) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Parklands Residents Association AGM (Chichester Baptist Church Hall, Sherborne Road)
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Monday 9 March (10am-12pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Singleton Community Cafe (Singleton Village Hall, Charlton Road, Singleton)
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Monday 9 March (10:30am-11:30am) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Burgess Hill Multi-Agency Community Food Hub (The King’s Church, 33-35 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill)
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Monday 9 March (10:45am-2:15pm) - Recycling Information Stand @ Collyers College - Green Week (82 Hurst Road, Horsham)
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Tuesday 10 March (8am-12pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Bourne Leisure Centre (Park Road, Southbourne, Emsworth)
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Tuesday 10 March (10am-12pm) - Food Waste Talk @ Community People’s Eco Forum (Wakehurst’s Millenium Seed Bank, Wakehurst, Selsfield Road, Ardingly, Haywards Heath)
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Wednesday 11 March (10am-12pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Southwick Food Hub (Southwick Community Centre, Southwick Street, Southwick)
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Wednesday 11 March (7pm-7:30pm) - Food Waste Talk @ Westbourne WI AGM (Westbourne Community Hall River Street Westbourne West Sussex)
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Thursday 12 March (7:30pm-8:30pm) - Recycling Talk @ Worthing Renaissance WI Group (Queen Street Church Hall Queen Street Worthing)
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Saturday 14 March (10:30am-3pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Spring Fair, Seed Swap, Sow & Grow Transition Town Worthing (Maybridge Keystone Centre, Raleigh Way, Worthing)
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Sunday 15 March (10am-4:30pm) - Information Stand @ Mothers Day Crafts (Amberley Museum, New Barn Road, Arundel)
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Monday 16 March (2pm-2:30pm) - Food Waste & Recycling Talk @ West Worthing PROBUS Club (West Worthing Bowls Club 1 Field Place, The Boulevard, Worthing)
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Monday 16 March (6:30pm) - Food Waste Talk @ Fishbourne Annual Residents Meeting (The Fishbourne Centre Blackboy Lane, Chichester)
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Tuesday 17 March (6:30pm-9:30pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Selsey Town Council AGM (55 High Street, Selsey, Chichester)
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Tuesday 17 March (10am-10:45am) - Food Waste Talk @ Yapton WI Talk - Food Waste Collections / Recycling Right (Yapton Village Hall, Main Road, Yapton)
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Thursday 19 March (12:30pm) - Food Waste Talk @ Harting Community Hall (Pease Croft, South Harting, Petersfield)
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Friday 20 March (1:30pm-4:30pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Graylingwell Food Hub & Clothes Swap (Graylingwell Chapel, Graylingwell Drive, Chichester)
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Saturday 21 March (10am-12:30pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Repair Cafe - Food Waste is Here and Waste Prevention (Harting Community Hall, Pease Croft, South Harting, Petersfield)
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Sunday 22 March (9am-12:30pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Westgate Leisure Centre (Westgate Leisure Centre, Via Ravenna, Chichester)
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Sunday 22 March (10am-3pm) - Information Stand @ Buchan Country Park
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Tuesday 24 March (12pm-2pm) - Recycling Talk @ Graylingwell Residents & CCDT Volunteers (The Chapel, Graylingwell Drive, Chichester)
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Wednesday 25 March (9:30am-11am) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, Storrington
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Thursday 26 March (6pm) - Information Stand @ Cuckfield Parish Council Meeting (Queens Hall, High Street, Cuckfield)
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Saturday 28 March (9am-1pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Petworth Farmers Market
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Saturday 28 March (10am-1pm) - Recycling Information Stand @ Lancing Village Easter Fayre (Lancing Parish Hall, 96 - 98 South Street)
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Saturday 28 March (10:30am-3:30pm) - Recycling Information Stand @ Middleton-On-Sea Easter Market (Elmer Road, Middleton-on-Sea)
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Sunday 29 March (10am-1pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ The Grange indoor car boot (The Grange, Bepton Road, Midhurst)
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Tuesday 31 March (7:30pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Transition Horsham (Trafalgar Rd Baptist Church Horsham)
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Wednesday 1 April (2:15pm) - Food Waste & Recycling Talk @ St Andrew's Women's Fellowship (St Andrews Church Hall, Church Lane, Ferring)
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Thursday 2 April (9:30-11am) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Sylvia Beaufoy Centre (Sylvia Beaufoy Centre, Midhurst Road, Petworth)
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Friday 3 April (8:30am-2pm) - Food Waste Information Stand @ Chichester Farmers Market (Chichester High Street)
See a full list of events, over on our website.
Finally, we know that if you receive this email, you are passionate about waste prevention and recycling.
If you find these emails helpful, why not share it with a friend and get them to subscribe to the West Sussex Recycles newsletter as well.
To hear more about how the county council is tackling climate change and helping protect the environment in West Sussex, why not sign-up to receive the regular Environment and Climate Change eNewsletter too! View the December edition here.
Help us spread the message and get more people on board to make West Sussex a strong, safe, and sustainable place to live.
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