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Changes to bin collections confirmed as Council approves budget

Environment and climate change

Monday, 11 March 2024
The new bin line-up

Middlesbrough will join the majority of councils locally and across England in introducing fortnightly bin collections and an annual charge for garden waste.

Councillors agreed a balanced budget for 2024/25 at a full council meeting on Friday, which contains savings and income generation plans totalling £13.9m.

Proposals agreed included a switch from weekly to fortnightly collections of black rubbish bins, a move which will be introduced in July.

Households of three or more people can request a free, larger 240 litre black bin ahead of the switch.

Homes with two or fewer residents who feel they cannot manage with their existing black rubbish bin can purchase another, of the same size, for a one-off fee of £40.

If your home has a communal bin the changes to collections will not affect you.

The Council is also introducing a seasonal charge of £40 for garden waste collections, in line with the bulk of local authorities across the country.

Those who decide to opt-in to the service will receive a new brown bin for garden waste, which will be collected fortnightly for a longer period every year - from April until the end of November.

This year, April will be a transition period in which the existing green waste bins and their waste will be collected for the final time, and then removed.

The new brown bins will be then introduced for those who opt-in and collected from the end of April.

Households can order up to five brown garden waste bins, with each additional bin costing £20.

The move to new brown bins means all three bins used in Middlesbrough are standardised and can be collected by the same type of refuse vehicle, increasing the resilience of the service.

There will be no changes to the blue lidded recycling bin service.

Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Peter Gavigan, said: “This move will bring Middlesbrough into line with most councils in the Tees Valley and across the country, and streamline the way we deliver services.

“The changes will help to save Middlesbrough money at a time when finances are tight, and they will also help us to improve recycling rates in the town.

“We will be delivering information about the roll out to everyone affected in the town so they can prepare for the change. The switch to fortnightly refuse collections will be introduced in the summer, to give households time to request a new bin if they need one."

For more information, to apply for a new bin or to subscribe to the garden waste service visit www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/bins or contact us on 01642 726001.