Southampton City Council has begun introducing food caddies in phases, after collections started from February and ramped up through March and early April.
Some flats and properties with communal bin areas will be included later this spring.
Every household is being provided with a five-litre kitchen caddy, along with a larger 23-litre outdoor food bin for houses.
The changes mean residents must now separate food waste from their general rubbish.
What can be included in your food waste bin
Items that can go into the caddy include fruit and vegetable scraps, bread, rice, pasta, meat and fish (including bones), dairy products, eggshells, tea bags and coffee grounds.
However, liquids such as oil or gravy, as well as plastic packaging, nappies, pet waste and garden waste, must not be placed in the caddy.
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What else do I need to know about food waste collections?
Food waste will be collected weekly, with residents asked to put their outdoor bin out by 6.30am on their designated day and keep lids closed to prevent pests. Kitchen caddies can be emptied into the outdoor bin throughout the week.
The council says the move is aimed at reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and cutting harmful emissions. When food waste breaks down in landfill, it produces methane – a greenhouse gas far more damaging than carbon dioxide.
Instead, collected food waste will be recycled through anaerobic digestion, creating energy and fertiliser.
Officials say around a quarter of the average household’s general waste bin is made up of food, meaning the new system could significantly boost recycling rates.
Households will also receive a starter roll of 52 liners with their caddy, although using liners is optional – residents can use the provided liners, compostable alternatives, newspaper, kitchen paper or no liner at all, but will need to purchase their own if they choose to keep using them once the initial supply runs out.
Residents are being encouraged to check their collection dates online and only begin using the new bins once collections start in their area.