At the council meeting on Thursday, August 28, councillors discussed the rollout of the new waste and recycling service in the district.
More than 31,000 households have successfully switched to the new system, which sees crews collecting from around 80 rounds each week.
The council said residents in phase one are already recycling more and sending less for disposal, with positive progress being seen on food waste collections.
So far, more than 500 tonnes of food waste have been collected for recycling and used to generate electricity and produce agricultural fertiliser.
Councillor Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said: “We are undertaking a transformation of real scale and significance, one that will shape the future of waste services in the New Forest for years to come.
“While we acknowledge the challenges and the disruption some residents have faced, we remain confident in the direction we are taking and deeply appreciative of the effort being made across the organisation to deliver this change.”
Councillor Blunden also addressed concerns raised by residents about free-roaming animals, particularly pigs during the pannage season, accessing food waste.
He said: “Certain properties will be asked to place their food waste containers in a different location for collection.
“To make this possible, we are investing in additional resources so that crews can take the extra time required to collect food waste caddies from behind gates.
“And we will write directly to the households affected with clear instructions and guidance.”
Edward Heron, official verderer, said: “I welcome the council’s decision to collect food waste containers from within property boundaries, where they are accessed from within the perambulation, over the pannage period, when pigs are released onto the open forest to eat fallen acorns.
“The releasing of pigs is vital for the welfare of the free-roaming ponies, donkeys and cattle, to which acorns are poisonous.”
“This, along with the current trials being undertaken in Brockenhurst and East Boldre to assess how all stock interactions with the new waste collection service can be reduced, is a positive outcome from the council’s engagement with the verderers and other forest organisations.”