A HUGE change is being introduced to bin collections across England – and millions are wondering if the rules will affect them.
Recycling in England will be standardized from 2026, with all homes, businesses and schools recycling the same materials, the government said.
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Bin collections will change across EnglandCredit: Alamy
There will also be a minimum requirement to collect food waste once a week, which the Government has said will reduce the amount going to landfill.
Environment Minister Therese Coffey described the current system as a “postcode lottery” where people living in different areas cannot recycle the same materials.
The District Council Network (DCN), which represents many local authorities, said the changes would result in higher costs for councils but welcomed the decision to allow them discretion over waste collection in their areas.
The government has said it wants to make recycling simpler for people across England, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales setting their own devolution policies.
It is also suggested that residual or non-hazardous industrial waste be collected every fifteen days.
But local authorities are concerned that this could result in higher environmental costs elsewhere, for example due to higher fuel consumption in transport.
Ms Coffey said: “Easier recycling will help us all recycle more easily, doing our part to save the planet and make the most of the precious resources we use every day.
“In addition to our weekly food waste collection, we’re completing a postcode lottery for what you can put in your bin, so wherever you live in the country, you can recycle the same products with confidence.”
Those changes were put up for debate in 2021 when the Government said it wanted to eliminate all reusable or recyclable waste going to landfill by 2050.
It is also considering extending these rules to places of worship, prisons, charity shops and residential hostels.
Ministers also want to introduce free garden waste collections for every home rather than giving councils the discretion to charge or not, although DCN said this would result in people who don’t use the service subsidizing those who do.
DCN has also warned that many councils will not be able to get the right equipment in time to meet the 2026 deadline, while many cannot afford the cost of new tanks, rolling stock or in some cases larger depots.
Councilor Sarah Nelmes, DCN’s spokesperson for the environment, said: “Today’s announcement that councils will be able to collect waste materials however they choose is a victory for common sense.
“We can continue to rely on local solutions that have increased recycling rates and now have the certainty we need to make long-term decisions about how to improve services for our residents and help us move towards net zero.
“We will be spared the expense of purchasing a huge number of bins and vehicles just to comply with top-down regulations.
“But there will still be significant costs associated with the reforms and we await further details from the Government on how they will be funded.”
The government said it would provide “reasonable funding” to cover any additional costs incurred by the changes, with the money coming from a combination of new burden funding and payments through extended producer responsibility for packaging.
Current recycling rates in England are just over 44% and have remained around that figure for the last 10 years.
A ban on single-use plastics such as plates, trays, bowls, popsicle sticks and polystyrene food and drink containers came into effect on October 1, and ministers hope to increase this percentage.
Councilor Darren Rodwell, Local Authorities Association (LGA) environment spokesman, said: “Public satisfaction with local waste collection services remains very high, something councils have been working hard to build on.
“What works in urban centers is different to rural communities. We are pleased that the Government has listened to LGAs and councils and decided not to significantly reduce flexibility in the way councils collect waste from people’s homes.
“Our national ambitions for waste and recycling can only be achieved with a fully-reinforced local delivery, with measures to shift costs from taxpayers to waste producers.”
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Source: HIS Education