Waste strategy: foreword

It is a significant challenge for any local authority to manage waste in a more sustainable way.

Reducing the environmental impact of waste in the New Forest will only be possible if we all work together.

This means New Forest residents, businesses, and the council 'doing more' to help fight climate change.

To reduce carbon, we will be giving top priority to the prevention of waste, helping our residents reduce and reuse more materials.

We need to make more sustainable choices for our waste and recycling service and ensure we can all recycle as much as possible, reducing our general waste to an absolute minimum.

The most effective way to do this, is to change our frontline collection services.

In December 2018, the UK government released the 'Our Waste, Our Resources: A Strategy for England' (known as the Resources and Waste Strategy, or RaWS).

The strategy sets out key objectives for dealing with waste at a national level and suggests actions to achieve these objectives, many of which will be set out in legislation from 2022 onwards.

New Forest District Council (NFDC) recycling rates are currently significantly below the national average, at 34% in 2020-21.

Current national targets (for the UK as a whole), are set at 55% by 2025, rising to 65% by 2035.

The government has made it clear that providing an effective and efficient waste and recycling service will be key to maximising funding for council services.

The current collection system will not meet either national recycling targets or will it be in line with forthcoming legislation.

Change is therefore essential.

In October 2021 we declared a climate change and nature emergency, committing to carrying out a fundamental review of all our activities, with the target of reducing carbon emissions. That's why we released a new climate change action plan in February 2022, which included a key action to prevent waste and increase recycling.

We presented our Draft Waste Strategy to residents In November and December 2020, and the feedback received from residents during the engagement period has been invaluable in shaping this final waste strategy.

We have listened and understand that a flexible approach is needed, but we are also confident that this is the right way forward for the New Forest.

This strategy provides more information on what has led to the final waste strategy, and our approach towards waste and recycling in the future.

Cllr Steve Davis, portfolio holder for environment and coastal services.