Major shake-up to household bin collections being mooted

Recycling bins could be collected every three weeks - with larger boxes provided to households - under a new waste strategy for the local area.

The revamp could see small recycling boxes replaced with new 240 litre wheelie bins for glass, plastic and tins; and cardboard and paper.

Under proposals, black/grey bins for general waste would be collected every three weeks instead of the current fortnightly collections.

The other recycling bins would also move onto a cycle of collections every three weeks - as there would be more space in each bin for householders to store rubbish.

Lancaster City Council said they will provide households with a red-lidded wheelie bin (plastics, glass and cans) and a yellow-lidded wheelie bin (paper and cardboard), as part of the roll-out, at no cost, if the proposals are approved.

The council also said the reintroduction of separate food waste bins would also mean people would throw away less once they start recycling food waste every week.

As reported by Beyond Radio in February, small food waste 'caddies' are set to return to households across the District as part of a nationwide drive to boost recycling.

Each household will receive a free caddy to keep in their kitchen, which can be emptied it into a new outside food waste bin, also provided by the council, once full, and collected weekly.

The changes are to comply with the Government's 'Simpler Recycling' scheme which aims to create consistency in the way recycling is collected.

Councils across England must begin collecting food waste by March 31 2026.

Lancaster City Council cabinet will meet on Tuesday May 20 to consider three options on future waste collection frequency across the District.

The preferred proposal by council officers, is a new cycle of collections every three weeks - separately covering the main recycling bin, paper/card, and plastics/tins/glass.

Councillors could instead decide to keep the current system of a fortnightly collection of the taller black/grey bin, and similar fortnightly pick ups of the smaller green boxes.

Or they could agree to collect the main rubbish bin every three weeks, and other recyclables on an 'alternate fortnightly' basis meaning separate plastics/tins/glass and paper/card collections every four weeks.

Garden waste collection, which is currently available to subscribers who pay extra for the service, will not be affected.

“Bringing in food waste collections is part of a national plan to simplify how waste and recycling is collected, but it also gives us a chance to take a fresh look at how we do things," said Councillor Paul Hart, cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services (pictured below).

“If people are putting their food waste out for collection each week, their grey bins won’t fill up so quickly.

"And bigger recycling bins — something lots of residents have asked for - should make things easier and tidier.

“I know these are big changes, but other councils that have already made the switch are seeing less waste going into grey bins and more being recycled. That’s what we’re aiming for too.”

The council has received around £1.46m in funding from the government to support the roll-out of food waste collections and this will be used to purchase new vehicles and food waste caddies for households.

A further £989,000 to be received in 2025/26 will cover expenditure such as staffing, day to day vehicle costs, marketing and education.

A council budget of £2.208m has been put aside for the wheelie bin element of the plans.

The cabinet is also being asked to implement the plans by March 31 2026 - the same date as the government's deadline on introducing food waste collection.

A report, published ahead of the cabinet meeting, said: "Lancaster City Council currently collects residual waste fortnightly in 240ltr wheelie bins, with paper and card, and plastics and cans being collected separately in 55ltr boxes, from 63,649 properties, of which 600 are registered Housing of Multiple Occupancy and 340 properties within flats.

"The budgeted net cost for delivering the household waste collection service for 2025/26 is currently c.£3.8m.

"Garden Waste is collected on a fortnightly subscription basis in 240ltr wheelie bins.

"In the 2024/2025 financial year, this generated £1.094m in income which assists significantly in offsetting the total cost of the wider service. The garden waste delivery model will not be changed as a result of this report.

"Lancaster City Council currently collects around 9,000 tonnes of recycling per annum and has a recycling rate of 36 per cent, which is in the bottom quartile both nationally and regionally.

"This represents a steady decline from a peak of 41 per cent in 2015/16.

"In comparison, the district’s current residual waste collection is around 32,000 tonnes, equating to around 538kg per household, which again is in the bottom quartile both nationally and regionally.

"Under the new government strategy, a baseline recycling target of 60 per cent has been set by 2035 with an ambition to half all residual waste sent to landfill or incineration by 2042."

Alternative arrangements will be made for people who do not have space for wheelie bins, and communal collection points will continue to be considered for developments such as housing of multiple occupancy.

The council has said residents will receive communications on any changes in the run-up to them being introduced.

More information on the proposed changes and FAQs are available on the council’s website HERE.

For more details in the cabinet report see HERE.

A new business waste recycling strategy was implemented on March 31 2025.

Lancashire County Council is responsible for waste disposal, and runs the local recycling centre at Salt Ayre and the waste transfer centre at Middleton near Heysham.

LISTEN to Will Griffith, Lancaster City Council chief officer for environment and place, talking about the proposed changes

LISTEN to Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council