New bin collection rules are set to be implemented in England from March. The Labour Party government claims it has “inherited legislation that could have required households to have up to 7 bins, placing an unnecessary burden on people and businesses”.
The government said it is making the rules ‘simpler’ to make recycling easier across the country. A policy update said: “For too long, households in England have been presented with a muddled and confusing patchwork of approaches to bin collections.”
Under the new rules, most households and workplaces will be required to have a maximum of four containers for residual (non-recyclable) waste, food waste (which can be mixed with garden waste if appropriate), paper and card, and all other dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal and glass), reports Birmingham Live.
These can be any type of container, including bags, bins or stackable boxes. The government said: “We will make recycling easier: citizens will be able to recycle the same materials across England whether at home, work or school, and will no longer need to check what is accepted for recycling in their local area.
“A universal standard will ensure that everything that can be collected for household recycling is collected in every region. Simpler Recycling will also end the ‘postcode lottery’ of bin collections in England whereby councils collect different materials for recycling, causing confusion for households. We will maintain flexibility for local authorities to deliver these changes in the most appropriate way for their area.”
By 31 March 2025, businesses and relevant non-domestic premises in England will be required to arrange for the collection of core recyclable waste streams, excluding garden waste (glass, metal, plastic, paper and card, and food waste), the government added.
By 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. The government said it hopes that the changes will improve recycling rates.