New Forest District Council has issued urgent guidance telling households to stop putting food waste in their black general waste bins as temperatures soar to 38°C. The local authority warns that food scraps should instead go into outdoor caddies to reduce smells and pests, while odorous items like nappies must be double-bagged.
Earlier Collections to Beat the Heat
To protect waste collection crews from working during the hottest part of the day, collections will start at 5am on Tuesday 23 June, Wednesday 24 June, and Thursday 25 June. Residents are asked to place their bins out by 5am on collection day, or the night before (after 6pm) for those who usually have early pickups.
The council stated: "Waste and recycling collections will start earlier than usual this week due to extreme heat. Crews will begin collections from 5am on Tuesday 23 June, Wednesday 24 June and Thursday 25 June to help avoid working during the hottest part of the day."
Potential Delays and Missed Collections
High temperatures may slow down collection rounds, and the council warned it may not complete all scheduled collections. If bins are not collected by 3pm, residents should report the issue by midday the next working day. Updates will be posted on the council's missed collections webpage.
The council added: "Residents whose bins have not been collected by 3pm are asked to report the issue by midday the next working day."
Met Office Red Warning for Extreme Heat
The Met Office has issued its second-ever red warning for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to reach at least 39°C and some areas potentially hitting 40°C. BBC Weather forecaster Sarah Keith-Lucas said: "Tuesday is expected to be the UK's warmest day of the year so far - and significantly hotter than Monday across all parts."
She noted that Tuesday will bring strong June sunshine with very high UV levels, and humidity will make it feel up to 5°C warmer than the thermometer reading. Winds will be lighter from a south-easterly direction, with temperatures peaking between 30 and 36°C across England and Wales, while Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England will see 24 to 29°C.
