A new, common-sense approach to recycling will make bin day
simpler and boost recycling rates for the nation, Recycling
Minister announced today (9 May).
New simpler recycling collections will see the same materials
collected from homes, workplaces and schools, ending the
confusing patchwork of different approaches across England.
Today the government has set out how the drive to better and
simpler recycling will work, listening to councils who want to
avoid streets cluttered with bins while doing what is best for
the local community. Councils will be allowed to collect plastic,
metal, glass, paper and card in one bin in all circumstances.
Similarly, food and garden waste will also be allowed to be
co-collected.
This will reduce confusion over what items can be recycled, as
people will no longer have to check what their specific council
will accept for recycling. It will also reduce complexity for
councils and other waste collectors, ensuring they retain the
flexibility to collect recyclable waste in the most appropriate
way for their local areas.
Additionally, the Government is supporting more frequent and
comprehensive bin collections. A minimum backstop means councils
will be expected to collect black bin waste at least fortnightly,
alongside weekly food waste collections. This will stop the trend
– seen outside England – towards three-weekly or four-weekly bin
collections. Councils are also being actively encouraged to make
collections even more frequent, to prevent smelly waste from
building up outside homes.
Together, these new proposals will ensure regular and simpler bin
collections from people's homes across England – making recycling
simpler for everyone.
Recycling Minister said:
We all want to do our bit to increase recycling and reduce the
amount of waste sent to landfill – but a patchwork of different
bin collections across England means it can be hard to know what
your council will accept.
Our plans for Simpler Recycling will end that confusion: ensuring
that the same set of materials will be collected regardless of
where you live.
Paul Vanston, CEO of the Industry Council for Packaging
and the Environment (INCPEN), said:
Householders can take this government announcement as a pledge
that, wherever we live across the nation, our local councils will
all speedily implement recycling collections of the full range of
materials that will match on-pack recycling labels citizens rely
on for guidance.
Those paying the very substantial costs for councils' local
packaging recycling services – especially citizens, brands and
retailers – can rightly set high benchmarks of great customer
service, superb packaging recycling performance and demonstrable
value-for-money being achieved everywhere.
The plans will apply to all homes in England, including flats.
Similar measures will apply to non-household municipal premises,
including businesses, hospitals, schools and universities.
As well as these developments, the list of premises in scope of
these requirements has been expanded. Places of worship, penal
institutes, charity shops, hostels and public meeting places will
all come under the scope of the Simpler Recycling regulations.
This update builds on wider efforts to increase recycling and
reduce waste. New
restrictions on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls,
cutlery, balloon sticks, expanded and extruded polystyrene food
and drinks containers came into force on 1 October 2023 in order
to reduce plastic pollution and keep streets clean. We are also
moving forward with the implementation of our Deposit Return
Scheme for drinks containers and our Extended Producer
Responsibility scheme for packaging to boost recycling
and clamp down on plastic pollution and litter.
At the beginning of 2024 we confirmed that disposable vapes will be
banned in the UK to protect children's health and tackle
the environmental impact of these items.
We have already introduced a ban on microbeads in rinse-off
personal care products, restrictions on the supply of single-use
plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds, and our
world-leading Plastic Packaging Tax.
Meanwhile, our single-use plastic carrier bag charge has
successfully cut sales by over 97% in the main supermarkets.
