Local governments have warned that new recycling laws could cause havoc because households may be required to have up to seven bins.
The details of a major government waste collection reform in England are expected to be confirmed soon, as the country’s recycling rules become more consistent.
Under new recycling plans due to be made public within a fortnight, councils will be under a duty to collect food waste weekly.
They will also be required to provide a basic free garden waste removal service. The plans follow a consultation and are set to be announced by Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.
Councils currently set waste disposal rules, but the new plans could result in households needing four separate bins for dry recyclables, including one for glass, metal, plastic, and paper and card.
There would then be a further three that cover garden waste, food waste and non-recyclables.
Insiders in the government have stated that this outcome is highly unlikely. This is due to the fact that they may not make it a legal requirement, and councils can provide a written assessment demonstrating why they would be unable to manage so many different recycled waste streams.
But councillors have pushed back against the changes regardless. Peter Fleming, the Conservative leader of Sevenoaks District Council in Kent, said the rule changes were “madness”, adding: “The idea that standardisation – a national bin service – is the way forward makes absolutely no sense.”
In 2021, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) held a public consultation on the best way to use the Environment Act’s waste collection powers.