The initiative will require most homes and businesses to have four separate bins by the end of next month
All households in England will see a big change in recycling rules from the end of March 2026(Image: Craig Hastings via Getty)
Wheelie bins are set to undergo a massive change within a matter of weeks. Instead of one all-purpose recycling bin, new rules will make it a requirement for homes to have at least four bins by March 2026. Officials have confirmed that residents across England will be required to change their recycling habits in the coming weeks.
The Simpler Recycling scheme sets the new baseline expectation that the majority of households and businesses will have four bins with specific purposes. When the programme was announced, authorities said it would additionally put an end to the ‘postcode lottery’ of bin collections throughout England, where councils gather different materials for recycling, leading to confusion for homeowners.
As the Express previously reported, the proposed framework claimed houses need to have four categories of waste bins 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)
Every household, including flats, must have the above collected by March 31, 2026. Plastic film packaging (such as crisp packets) and plastic bags will need to be included with plastic recycling from March 31, 2027.
Last year, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature, Mary Creagh, said: “We have set out that every local authority will be required to collect food waste for recycling by March 31, 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 March 31, 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 March 31, 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 scheme. These fall into five categories, and residents across Britain need to be fully aware of what will and won’t be permitted in their bins in the near future.
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
With major changes on the horizon, people might be confused about some ‘new’ ways of recycling if they haven’t had to think about it before. Some guidance is available on the Recycle Now website here.
For more information on the items councils do not collect, click here. For more information on the Simpler Recycling project, click here.