Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has unveiled a new ten-year waste strategy designed to increase recycling, cut landfill, and make waste collections more efficient across the area.
The plan, covering 2026 to 2036, follows a public consultation earlier this year that attracted more than 300 responses and strong support for the council’s proposed approach.
BCP Council currently manages over 188,000 tonnes of household and business waste each year. Last year, more than 40 percent of household waste was reused, recycled or composted, with almost 90 percent diverted from landfill.
A waste composition study in 2023 found that more than half of the average household’s rubbish could have been recycled through existing kerbside, garden or food waste collections.
The strategy is built around seven ambitions supported by 35 actions. Together they are expected to raise recycling rates by up to eight percent and deliver financial savings of around £1 million. The goals include improving public awareness of recycling and repair schemes, upgrading waste facilities, reducing environmental impact, and keeping items in use for longer to help meet the council’s carbon neutral target before 2045.
As part of the plan, kerbside battery collections are set to be discontinued to reduce fire risks in vehicles and transfer stations, after nine incidents were recorded in 2025. Residents will instead be encouraged to use battery drop-off points in shops and recycling centres, as required by national regulations.
The draft strategy will be discussed by the environment overview and scrutiny committee on 19 November before going to cabinet on 17 December and full council for approval in February 2026.
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