The Government has announced on Thursday (9th May) a new, common-sense approach to recycling will it hopes will make bin day simpler and boost recycling rates with less confusion about what goes in what bin or bag.
The new simpler recycling collections will see the same materials collected from homes, workplaces and schools, ending the confusing patchwork of different approaches across England.
The government set out how the drive to better and simpler recycling will work, its says by listening to councils who want to avoid streets cluttered with bins while doing what is best for the local community. Councils will be allowed to collect plastic, metal, glass, paper and card in one bin in all circumstances. Similarly, food and garden waste will also be allowed to be co-collected.
The government hopes this will reduce confusion over what items can be recycled, as people will no longer have to check what their specific council will accept for recycling. It will also reduce complexity for councils and other waste collectors, ensuring they retain the flexibility to collect recyclable waste in the most appropriate way for their local areas.
The Government is also supporting more frequent and comprehensive bin collections with a minimum backstop that means councils will be expected to collect black bin waste at least fortnightly, alongside weekly food waste collections.
This will stop the trend towards three-weekly or four-weekly bin collections. Councils are also being actively encouraged to make collections even more frequent, to prevent smelly waste from building up outside homes.
Recycling Minister Robbie Moore said “We all want to do our bit to increase recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill – but a patchwork of different bin collections across England means it can be hard to know what your council will accept.”
“Our plans for Simpler Recycling will end that confusion: ensuring that the same set of materials will be collected regardless of where you live.”
Responding to the Government’s announcement on simpler recycling collections, Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said:
“Public satisfaction with local waste services remains very high, which councils have worked hard to achieve.
“What works in urban centres is different to rural communities. We are pleased the Government has listened to the LGA and decided to allow councils to retain some of the flexibilities in how collect waste from people’s homes. However, this flexibility should extend to frequency of collections in whatever way best supports communities to reduce waste and improve recycling.
“Our national ambitions for waste and recycling will only be achieved by fully empowered local delivery, alongside measures transferring the costs from taxpayers onto the waste producers.”
The plans announced on Thursday will apply to all homes in England, including flats. Similar measures will apply to non-household municipal premises, including businesses, hospitals, schools and universities.
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