Why your bins are changing: We explain the new rules

Our reporters break down why councils are changing bin collections and what it means for you.

Transcript

00:00Nick Dee joins me now to break down what these changes could mean for households up and down

00:07the country. Nick, why are councils changing bin collections now?

00:11Well, councils and the government say too much rubbish that could be recycled is ending up in

00:17black bins or being incinerated. Research shows that around 135,000 tonnes of domestic rubbish

00:25goes into incineration each year and two-thirds of that could actually be recycled. So they want to

00:32standardise the rules to make it simpler for people and drive up recycling rates.

00:38So what's actually changing for most people?

00:41Well, for people in England, there'll be a new weekly collection for just food waste starting in

00:472026, plus an expanded list of items you can put in your blue bin for recycling. In Wales, it's more

00:54about reducing general waste pickups to as little as once every three to four weeks. That's already

01:00happening in some areas like Monmouthshire, where they have seen recycling rates hit 64%.

01:07Some residents are worried about health and hygiene. Are councils listening to those concerns?

01:13That's right. Many people are worried about rubbish piling up, especially during the summer.

01:18The government says the extra weekly food waste pickups should help with that, and they are giving

01:23councils flexibility about how they roll it out. But critics say fewer general waste

01:29collections could lead to fly-tipping and also pest problems.

01:34Some people feel these changes are more about saving money than helping the environment.

01:39Is that true?

01:40It's a fair point to raise because councils are under huge financial pressure. Reducing general

01:45waste collections could save money on fuel and staff. But officials insist the main goal

01:51is to meet tough recycling targets and avoid fines for sending too much rubbish to landfill

01:57or incineration. So while money is definitely a factor, the main driver is about hitting environmental

02:03goals and cutting down on waste.

02:07So what happens next?

02:09Households can expect more information campaigns in the next few months, and new bins or containers

02:15will be rolled out to separate food, paper and plastics. In England, the big date is the 1st of April

02:21next year. And in Wales, local authorities are deciding how far they will go with new guidance.