Bin and bag instructions

Why is this happening?

Food waste makes up around a third of household rubbish.

The government's simpler recycling initiative requires that all local councils roll out a food waste service by March 2026.

By collecting food waste separately, we can:

• Reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gases.
• Turn food waste into fertiliser via anaerobic digestion.
• Meet new national recycling requirements.

How will it work?

As part of the new service you will receive:

• A small kitchen caddy (7L) to collect food scraps indoor.
• A larger kerbside caddy (23L) for weekly collection.
• A roll of liners. 
• Detailed instructions on how to recycle your food waste.
• Access to a new bin calendar.

There is no need to sign up – we’ll deliver everything to you before the service starts.

What do you need to do?

We’ll be in touch before the service launches. In the meantime:

• Look out for your caddies and liners in early 2026.
• Watch our video guides closer to launch.
• Find out more about our Recycle for Good campaign and recycle and reuse as much of your waste as you can.

What can go in my food caddy?

We’ll send you a full list of what you can and can't put in your new caddy. 

What if I live in a flat?

We’re working on solutions for flats and shared housing - more info will be provided soon.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I have to take part? No, but we hope you will - it’s easy, clean and good for the environment.
• What about smells or pests? The caddies are sealed and easy to clean. Liners help keep them tidy. Lots of other areas across the country recycle their food waste and smells and pests are not a big issues. 
• What if I run out of liners? We’ll share options for getting more liners as part of the service.
• Is this a trial? No - this is a full rollout in line with national guidance.
• Do I have to pay extra for the collections? No, you don't need to pay extra for the food waste collections.