New collections herald ‘recycling revolution’ for households
Residents in Babergh and Mid Suffolk will not only see the introduction of new weekly food waste collections from 2026, but could also enjoy a ‘recycling revolution’ under new plans.
Cabinets at both Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are considering proposals to enable residents to recycle more items in their household recycling bin from 2026 to meet new government legislation.
Glass and cartons such as Tetra Pak – which currently have to be taken to Suffolk’s recycling centres and bottle banks - would be included. Plastic film would be incorporated from 2027.
Reports going before councillors show the additional recycling changes, combined with weekly food waste collections, would have a significant impact on recycling rates, allowing over 58% of the waste that residents currently have to put in their black rubbish bin to be recycled instead.
A separate bin, box or bag would be provided for paper and cardboard. This separation, known in the waste industry as ‘twin-stream collections’, would ensure this isn’t affected by other items in the bin, improving its recycling value and quality.
The proposals build on already approved plans to introduce brand new weekly food waste collections in 2026.
Unusable or expired items that residents would be able to put in their food waste bin, include:
- leftovers
- meat, fish, and bones
- tea bags and coffee grounds
- bread, pasta and rice
- eggshells and dairy products
- fruit and veg peelings
This reduced amount of general rubbish, in particular food items which are most likely to cause bins to smell, means the councils can also explore moving to more cost-effective three-weekly rubbish bin collections from 2026.
However, the councils’ waste team would be sympathetic to those with exceptional needs on a case-by-case basis, such as those with larger families, with medical needs or without available space for the new bins.
“We understand change can be unsettling, but I also know that most of us would like to see as much of our waste as possible recycled, instead of incinerated.
“This improved service, including the additional weekly food collections, give us the opportunity to reduce our waste, improve recycling habits, and play a bigger part in the circular economy across Suffolk.
“The additional opportunities for everyone to recycle more also means general waste bins will simply not fill up as quickly, meaning we can also review these collections to ensure we’re getting the best value for council taxpayers.
“Any changes will take place around the same time and will be communicated clearly to minimise disruption as much as possible.”
“This is a once in a generation opportunity to improve our recycling habits.
“Increasing the amount of rubbish that can be recycled by over half really would be a recycling revolution. This is the first major change since we first started separating recyclables over 20 years ago.
“We know that change on this scale will not be without challenges for some households, but we will work with anyone with exceptional needs on a case-by-case basis, to ensure we are adopting this government legislation in a way that works best for Babergh and its communities. For example, our waste officers already consider circumstances such as medical needs and addressing the needs of larger families, among others.”
All local authorities in Suffolk, as part of the Suffolk Waste Partnership, are reviewing their waste and recycling services to ensure they meet new nationwide ‘Simpler Recycling’ requirements by 31 March 2026. The legislation aims to make items collected for recycling consistent across England and Wales and improve national recycling rates which have not increased for some years.
Any changes to collections will be explained to residents as part of a Suffolk-wide communications campaign nearer to the 2026 rollout.
