A big shift is set to occur for households in 2026, with a minimum of four bins required for household waste and recycling. Officials have stated that individuals will need to alter their recycling habits, and local councils have been instructed to overhaul collections by March next year.
The Simpler Recycling project implies that the new standard requirement for most households and workplaces will be four containers. When the scheme was launched, officials stated it would also put an end to the ‘postcode lottery’ of bin collections in England, where councils collect different materials for recycling, leading to confusion among households.
Under the proposed plans, the four types of waste container are for:
- residual (non-recyclable) waste
- food waste (mixed with garden waste if appropriate)
- paper and card
- all other dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal and glass)
All households, including flats, must have the above collected by 31 March 2026. Plastic film packaging (such as crisp packets) and plastic bags will need to be included with plastic recycling from 31 March 2027.
Earlier this year, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature, Mary Creagh, responded to a parliamentary written question stating: “We have set out that every local authority will be required to collect food waste for recycling by 31 March 2026. Commencement regulations named a total of 31 local authorities that were provided with a bespoke transitional arrangement, delaying food waste collection requirements.
“It was deemed that these local authorities needed longer to implement separate food waste collections for households due to barriers presented by long-term residual waste disposal contracts that run beyond 31 March 2026.”
“We engaged extensively with affected local authorities. Where the evidence demonstrated that existing long-term waste disposal contracts presented an unavoidable barrier to the introduction of food waste collections by 31 March 2026, transitional arrangements were provided by Defra.
“We will continue to work with local authorities to identify whether they can bring forward food waste collections and the associated benefits before the end of their bespoke transitional arrangement.”
Earlier this year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs outlined items which councils are not required to collect under the new process.
Glass
Councils do not need to collect any glass not used as packaging. This includes:
- candles
- drinking glasses
- flat glass
- glass cookware (such as Pyrex)
- light bulbs and tubes
- microwave plates
- mirrors
- vases
- window glass
- ceramics, such as crockery or earthenware
Paper and card
Councils do not need to collect:
- food and drinks cartons made of a fibre-based composite (these should be collected in the plastic stream)
- absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) including nappies, period products and incontinence products
- cotton wool or makeup pads
- tissue or toilet paper
- wet wipes
Food waste
Councils do not need to collect any plastic packaging or non-packaging items labelled as ‘compostable’ or ‘biodegradable’, including coffee pods.
Food waste caddy liners used to hold food waste can be collected.
Garden waste
Councils do not need to collect:
- animal bedding
- bulky waste (including garden furniture and fencing)
- garden tools or other gardening equipment
- plant pots
- plastic
- sand
- sawdust
- stone, gravel or bricks
- tea bags or coffee grounds
- branches and trees over a certain size may have to be cut into smaller pieces to follow local guidance
Metal
Councils do not need to collect:
- laminated foil, like pet food pouches and coffee pouches
- electrical items and batteries
- general kitchenware like cutlery, pots and pans
- kettles
- irons
- pipes
- metal packaging that has contained white spirits, paints, engine oils or antifreeze
For more information on the items councils do not collect click here. For more information on the Simpler Recycling project click here.