Councillors in West Dorset have paved the way for countywide waste and recycling services after approving plans to share schemes with other councils from May 2014.
Officials say the move could save the authority more than £300,000 a year and nearly double recycling rates to 65 per cent.
With Christchurch Borough Council having also approved the scheme, and other councils considering it, only Bournemouth and Poole are yet to look at the plans.
The proposals would see one scheme replace the 12 currently operating across the county, with Dorset Waste Partnership carrying out the collections.
Under the plans there would be a weekly food waste collection and fortnightly recyclable and non-recyclable collections.
Residents would also be given new bins, including a seven-litre food waste kitchen caddy, a lockable food waste container, two wheelie bins for recyclable and non-recyclable waste, and a box for glass recycling.
There would also be a charge for a proposed fortnightly garden waste collection.
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.