Simply recycling

We will begin delivering the bins in the New Year. You will also receive your new, confirmed collection calendar through the post before April 2026.

Bin changes are carried out in stages. If your smaller bin has been recovered but your larger burgundy bin has not yet been delivered, please report this to us. We will arrange for your larger burgundy bin to be delivered at a later date.

Burgundy bins are being delivered on a round-by-round basis between January and March. Some streets are on different collection rounds, so bins may arrive at different times. We collect your old bin on your usual collection day and deliver the new burgundy bin the day before collection. If you haven’t received your bin yet, it is because it was not scheduled yet.

We can’t specify exact dates – all you need to do is look out for your new bin arriving. Once it’s delivered put your old bin out for one last collection on your normal collection day. After it has been emptied leave it out at the kerbside and we will recover it as soon as possible.

Yes, your collection day may change. You will receive a collection calendar through the post before April 2026. All updated collection dates will also be available to view online starting mid-March 2026.

While the time to have your bins presented remains 7am, the actual time our crews arrive at your property may change.

When we deliver your new container, we will take your smaller burgundy bin and ensure it is reused or recycled. We will not be collecting the kerbside recycling boxes. Please reuse them at home or drop them off at a Household Recycling Centre (HRC).

If you do not want to receive the bigger 240L burgundy bin, you can opt out of the upgrade and keep your current one by completing the opt out form.

Materials collected are sent to recycling facilities where they are sorted, cleaned and made into new products such as packaging, construction materials and car parts.

Recycling services for flats and apartments depend on the layout and characteristics of the building. You will receive individual information directly at your address explaining how the changes will specifically apply to your property.

If you put the wrong items in your bin, a tag will be left on the bin by the collection crew and it may not be emptied until the ‘contaminating’ items are removed. For more information visit our bins, waste and recycling pages.

Household batteries and any items that have a plug, use batteries, need charging or have a picture of a crossed out wheelie bin on can be recycled in a separate container at the Household Recycling Centres and some Community Recycling Centres.

Clothes, textiles and shoes can be dropped off at the Household Recycling Centres.

Yes. If you currently have a larger brown bin and sunscribe to the enhanced garden waste service, this will continue. The main change is that your brown bin will now be collected weekly from April and can include all food waste.

Please flatten all cardboard and crush plastic bottles and cans to create more space. If you occasionally have excess recycling that won’t fit, you can take it to your nearest Household Recycling Centre (HRC). We are currently reviewing our provision to larger households or households with medical waste.

Yes! Recycling is worthwhile – 88% of UK households already recycle regularly. By sorting and recycling your waste, you’re helping to: reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and incineration, turn old materials into new products, protect the environment and save natural resources, support jobs in the UK’s recycling, processing, and manufacturing industries. Most people in North Lincolnshire are already doing it – and every item you recycle really does make a difference.

Recycling is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of packaging. Putting something in your rubbish bin means it WILL end up incinerated for energy from waste, but recycling gives that material the best chance of staying in use and out of the environment. If every household in the UK recycled just one more item each week, we could save enough energy to power over 500,000 UK homes for a year.

To make recycling simpler and easier and to help residents recycle more effectively with a streamlined system from April 2026.

New burgundy bins will be delivered between January and March. The new collection schedules (including weekly food waste) officially launch in April 2026.

No. These changes are a direct requirement of the UK Government’s Simpler Recycling regulations. These regulations have been introduced to ensure that recycling collections are consistent across all local authorities in England.

The cost of the new bins will be covered in full through funding already secured from Department for Environment, meaning there is no additional cost to local taxpayers.

You will receive a leaflet with a collection calendar and clear instructions through the post before the changes happen.

Please refer to the guide at the top of this page for a detailed list of what items can be placed in your burgundy, brown, and general waste bins.

The new bins will be left at the the boundary or edge of your property. If you are on assisted collections the new bin will be returned to the storage point at your property.

All you need to do with your current bin is put it out for collection on your usual day and it will be emptied and taken away.

It is helpful to label your new bin with your house number or name but you are not required to do so.

Once your old bin has been taken away, start to use your new larger bin. Use this as you have been doing for recycling, alongside kerbside boxes, until the recycling changes come into effect in April. After April, kerbside boxes will no longer be used and all dry recycling can go in your new burgundy bin.

They will not be collected when new bins arrive – continue to use them until April and then reuse them at home or take to a Household Recycling Centre.

North Lincolnshire Council continue to partner with Get Composting and Great Green Systems to offer our residents exclusive discounted home composting systems and water butts with prices starting from £32.98. Please visit Get Composting and Great Green Systems for more details.

Until April continue to use your brown bin for garden waste only as you do now.

From April all food waste can go into your brown bin – a list of what can and can’t go in each bin FROM APRIL is further up this page.

We are encouraging residents to not use food waste caddy liners as it is the best way we can capture all your waste and is the most sustainable option. However, we understand some residents may wish to purchase their own food waste caddy liners. Residents who wish to do so should look for compostable liners that are in line with BS:EN 13432 or BS:EN 14995. These are available from most supermarkets and convenience stores.

We will not be providing a kitchen caddy and biodegradable bags as part of the new garden and food waste collection service.

To help you manage your food waste inside your home before collection, here are several suggested methods:

• Repurpose old containers: Get a second life out of containers you already own. A sturdy, lidded plastic container like an old biscuit tin, ice cream tub, or a small bucket works well for temporary storage.
• Buy a kitchen caddy: You can purchase a small, counter-top food waste caddy from many shops of your own style choice, colour and size.
• Use a small pedal bin: Designate a small, pedal bin exclusively for food waste.
• Freezing food waste: For particularly smelly items (like raw meat or fish), or if you only generate a small amount, you can store the waste in a container in your freezer then transfer it directly into the outdoor bin on collection day.

The waste is taken to a specialist local facility where it is processed (often via anaerobic digestion or in-vessel composting) to create nutrient-rich soil conditioner and, in some cases, renewable energy.

Yes. If you are already signed up for an assisted collection, this service will automatically continue with the new bins and the new schedule. Our crews will continue to collect the bins from their agreed location and return them for you. You do not need to re-apply.

No. To ensure safety and efficiency, crews will only empty the bins and will not take bags and boxes placed next to the bin.

Extra recycling can be taken to one of the household recycling centres or community recycling centres found across North Lincolnshire.

The best way to reduce waste is to prevent it from being created in the first place. You can do this by shopping smarter, reusing items, and composting at home.

• Food waste: Save money and reduce waste by planning meals, storing food correctly, and using leftovers.
• Reduce and reuse: Choose products with less packaging, use refillable containers, and donate unwanted items to charity or community swap sites.
• Recycle right: Ensure you are putting the correct items in your bins to avoid contamination.