Millions face three-week bin collections as councils roll back fortnightly pledge

More than 2 million people across England will have to wait an extra week for their non-recyclable waste to be collected after Labour-led councils scrapped a pledge to maintain fortnightly bin rounds, according to a review of multiple outlets.

By next June, an additional 2.3 million people are expected to be on a three-week cycle for residual waste under what some authorities are calling the '1-2-3' system, in which food waste is collected weekly, recyclables are collected every fortnight and residual waste is collected every three weeks. The shift comes after the Conservative government’s policy to guarantee at least fortnightly black bag collections was quietly scrapped in December 2024, and months of debate over how councils should balance budgets with basic services.

Since June, more than 500,000 residents in Somerset and Hertfordshire have already begun adjusting to the longer wait for non-recyclables, with local authorities arguing the move will save money and encourage more recycling. In Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, residents describe the rollout as chaotic, with four different wheelie bins and a weekly food waste caddy in some households, all needing to be put out on different days while non-recyclables are collected only every three weeks.

Over the next nine months, the broader plan is expected to affect a further 1.8 million people as authorities in Berkshire, Essex, Sussex, Suffolk, Cheshire and Lancashire decide to implement the longer cycle, illustrating the scale of the shift across a swath of the country. By next June, the total of households facing three-weekly collections is anticipated to reach about 2.3 million, with more councils reportedly weighing similar changes.

The move has drawn fierce local opposition in several areas. In Cheshire East, about 84 percent of residents who responded to a consultation opposed moving to longer cycles, highlighting a deep public pushback even as councils cite budget pressures and the need to reduce emissions. Some local authorities have argued the change frees up capacity or reduces traffic and carbon output from collections, while others note that the changes are designed to consolidate services amid tight finances and rising council tax bills.

Shadow Local Government Minister David Simmonds criticized the policy shift, saying: 'Labour are letting local residents down across the country. Bin collections are an absolutely basic service that everyone should be able to rely on. We worked to ensure regular bin collections when we were in government – but Labour are going in the opposite direction. They’re letting the rubbish pile high while council tax soars, and millions of ordinary people will pay the price.'

TaxPayers’ Alliance investigations campaign manager Joanna Marchong added: 'Millions of households are now set to see their bins collected less often, yet their council tax bills keep rising. Residents will rightly feel short-changed, paying more for less while they grapple with growing mountains of waste. Instead of cutting core services, councils should be getting a grip on wasteful spending and focusing on delivering the basics.'

A Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) spokeswoman said the government plans to end the postcode lottery of bin collections, noting: 'From March next year, every household in England will receive weekly food waste collections and will have the same materials collected for recycling, ending the throw away society and cleaning up our streets for good.' The department also indicated that waste collection authorities should continue to monitor changes in collection frequencies to avoid unintended consequences, while allowing local control over residual waste collection.

In practice, some councils have defended the changes as practical steps toward environmental goals. Amy Allen, North Herts Council’s executive member for environment, said last month the changes had received 'a really positive response' and that many residents appreciated the extra space a three-weekly residual waste bin provides for general waste. Paul Hart, Lancaster City Council’s cabinet member for environmental services, argued that weekly food waste collections would 'leave more capacity in grey bins to accommodate three-weekly waste collections.' Mid Suffolk District Council described the switch as better for the environment and aligned with new government legislation, while noting that larger households or those with medical needs would receive case-by-case support.

The Daily Mail and other outlets note that while some families adapt quickly, others struggle with space constraints and the logistics of juggling multiple bins. In Bishop’s Stortford, residents described the new system as ‘chaos’ and said bins were appearing in disarray as families adapted to the three-week cycle amid concerns about flies and missed collections. Retirees and families alike have highlighted the daily routines required to manage the new schedule, underscoring the uneven impact across neighborhoods.

Defra emphasized that the changes are intended to standardize services and reduce disparities between councils. As the policy unfolds, residents across England will be watching closely how the approach affects cleanliness, willingness to recycle, and overall satisfaction with local government services.