A HUGE bin collection change that will impact all Brits is set to be launched in 2026 in a bid to end “Wild West” recycling.
Under the new plans, households will be issued up to four bins by the council as the “default” for separating waste.
Under the current scheme, some households have been using up to ten bins for waste, with a third relying on five or more.
From 2026, councils will be instructed to only hand out four containers, either bags or bins, to households and workplaces.
This will include a bin for non-recyclable waste, a bin for food waste mixed with garden waste, a bin or bag for paper and cards, and a bin or bag for other recyclable waste.
The major bin overhaul addresses the confusion caused by the Environment Act 2021, which classed glass, metals, plastic, paper and card, and food waste as recyclable materials.
As a result, councils distributed separate bins for each material alongside bins for non-recyclable waste.
Ministers believe that simplifying the system will improve recycling rates.
The current approach has led to what ministers describe as “skyrocketing rates of litter on our streets” and increased risks of contamination from incorrect sorting of waste.
Contaminated materials are usually rejected after collection as they aren’t eligible for processing.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed revealed that the new rules aim to end the “postcode lottery” of recycling and reduce fly-tipping.
“This Labour government is ending the Wild West and introducing a streamlined approach to recycling to end the postcode lottery, simplify bin collections and clean up our streets for good,” he added.
Despite the scheme’s goal of simplifying waste collection, some households may end up with more bins than they currently have.
A survey by the Taxpayers’ Alliance found that residents in Blaenau Gwent, Cotswold, and Merthyr Tydfil were using as many as ten bins, whereas those in Gosport had only two.
The new change means paper and cardboard waste are separated from general recycling, yet councils have expressed concerns.
They claimed it would require “additional resources” and that they would need “flexibility” for homes that may not have space for another bin.
Councils were left in limbo after Rishi Sunak abandoned a Conservative policy that would have required local authorities to collect waste in up to seven separate containers.
The proposed scheme was heavily criticised as councils revealed it would’ve cost them an eye-watering £500million a year to implement.
After the former Prime Minister announced the scrapping of the policy, new guidelines were not implemented, leaving councils to decide independently how many bins households would need.
The District Councils’ Network claimed that the lack of instructions created a “policy vacuum,” leaving councils unable to make decisions for fear that their plans would not align with government rules.
Adam Hug, the Local Government Association’s environment spokesman, welcomed the new scheme but warned that it could present logistical challenges.
He also expressed concerns about the plans for businesses to follow the new recycling rules starting next April, noting that “awareness and readiness” were currently low.
“We believe there should be a one-year delay to align with household recycling changes,” Adam added.
