Some areas are now starting to receive their new bins, and there are recycling rules they must begin following
Some households across England are beginning to receive their new food waste recycling bins being distributed by local councils as part of fresh government rule changes. From March 2026, all local authorities in England must, by law, collect food waste from kerbsides weekly as part of the Simpler Recycling reforms.
The government’s Simpler Recycling scheme aims to increase recycling rates and reduce the volume of waste going to landfill or incineration. The waste gathered is taken to anaerobic digestion facilities, where it’s transformed into renewable energy and fertiliser.
Despite the legislation being in force, roughly one-third of councils are facing delayed rollout timetables owing to existing waste contracts. Because of the hold-ups, not all residents have received their bins at the same time.
Certain areas have already had new bins delivered, while others have only just had theirs, are still waiting or may not get theirs until later this year or perhaps early 2027. For those whose food waste bins have now arrived, there are fresh food waste rules to follow, including placing only specific items in the new bins.
This means numerous homes in England will have several recycling bins. Waste collectors must now, as standard, collect different categories of waste separately from households, including:
- food and garden waste
- paper and card
- all other dry recyclable materials (glass, metal and plastic, including cartons)
- residual waste (non-recyclable waste that is sent for energy recovery or to landfill)
Under the new Simpler Recycling regulations introduced in England, local authorities must collect food waste from every household on a weekly basis, reports the Express. Families are required to keep their organic waste separate from general rubbish.
According to Gov.uk, UK households throw away enough edible food to fill nearly 4,000 Olympic pools each year. That’s around £1,000 per family of four that could be saved.
How do the new food waste recycling bins work?
Households will receive three new items to use. The first is an indoor caddy, a small, compact 5L-7L bin intended to be kept in the kitchen for daily collection of food waste.
The second is a larger, lockable outdoor caddy into which you transfer the contents of the smaller caddy. The third is a roll of liners.
Households are not obliged to use liners, but they may use newspaper, unbleached paper bags, or certified compostable liners to keep the caddies clean.
What items can you put in the new food waste recycling bins?
- Cooked and uncooked food, including meat, fish, and bones.
- Dairy products and eggshells.
- Fruit and vegetable peelings, plate scrapings, and leftovers.
- Bakery items like bread, pasta, cereal, and rice.
- Tea bags and coffee grounds.
- Leftovers and out-of-date food.
What items are not allowed in the new food waste recycling bins?
- Liquids such as oils, fats, soups and drinks.
- Packaging of any kind, including plastic wrap and non-compostable food containers (excluding the liners).
- Compostable or bio-plastics (unless specified otherwise by your local council).
- Garden waste and flowers (collected separately so they can be processed via traditional open composting).
- Glass and metal.
- Nappies.
- General household waste.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “We are ending the bin collections postcode lottery and making it easier for people to recycle wherever they live. Simplifying these rules will cut out carbon, clean up our streets, and help bring pride back into our communities. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with local areas to deliver these changes and ensure there’s more recycled content in the products we buy.”
