Dustcarts run on vegetable oil will be used to collect rubbish in East Sussex – including food waste starting next year.
The eco bin lorries are being supplied by Biffa as part of its new contract with the East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership, made up of Hastings, Rother and Wealden councils.
They use hydrotreated vegetable oil, which create 90% fewer emissions than traditional trucks. The service will also begin using electric vans and cars.
The contract extension, which adds another seven years to the existing contract to take it to June 2033 – is worth about £119 million.
Hastings Borough Council’s Councillor Jo Walker said, “This is a vital service for our residents and the contract extension means we can continue building on the good quality service that is being delivered.”
Councillor Hazel Timpe, Rother District Council’s portfolio holder for Neighbourhood Services and Waste Management, said: “We’re currently working with Biffa as we plan the new weekly food waste collection service which starts in Rother in March 2026.
“We really appreciate their help and expertise and look forward to continuing this joint working during the remaining years of the contract.”
Councillor James Partridge, deputy leader of Wealden District Council, said: “The extension of our contract with Biffa is great news for Wealden residents.
“It will secure a high quality, value for money, waste collection and cleaning service for another seven years and mean we can focus on improving waste management services, promoting recycling, and providing a cleaner, more sustainable environment for our district.”
Steve Cole, managing director of Biffa Municipal, said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication in what has been a long and complicated process.
“It’s testament to the strength of our partnership and working relations how we’ve managed to complete a comprehensive extension agreement and delivered what I genuinely believe to be an excellent outcome for the partnership, the communities in Sussex we serve as well as for Biffa, for years to come.”
During Biffa’s current term, the councils have experienced an increase in the partnership’s recycling rate from 37% in 2019 to 46% in 2024, as well as a significant drop in missed bin collections.
