Resort residents react to major changes planned for bin collections

Major changes coming in for Blackpool’s bin collections have met with an unfavourable reaction from some residents, although others have been more supportive.

Last week, Blackpool Council’s Executive approved the ‘innovative’ proposals, described as the biggest changes to the service since the wheelie bins were introduced more than 20 years ago.

It comes after the Government introduced new legislation called Simpler Recycling which calls for all local authorities to simplify the way that waste is collected, reduce costs and increase recycling.

Proposed changes include a new weekly food waste collection, taking organic waste out of the grey bins altogether, and the introduction of a new brown bin for paper, instead of the ‘blow away’ brown sacks.

Simpler Recycling, aimed at enabling consistent, more streamlined collections from all households, businesses and relevant non-domestic premises (such as schools and hospitals), will now come into effect in April 2026.,

The changes include:

 Three-weekly domestic waste collections

 Weekly food waste collections

 Brown bags replaced with brown bins

 Green waste subscription reduced by £15 to £30

 Communal bin hubs in inner wards

 Ten waste amnesties per year in inner wards

 Increased capacity of blue bins

What people say

Rosita Gildea said: “What a shambles.. more unsightly bins in folks’ front gardens are a real eye sore.”

Stacey Mateer said: “I’ve only just got enough room for the 2 bins I have in my garden i ain’t fitting another 2 in there…. jog on Blackpool Council.”

Yvonne Rose said: “What exactly will we put in the grey bins?And what if you don’t have room for more bins?”

Collette Taylor said: “No good if you have babies and/or pets. Just Imagine 3 weeks of dirty nappies, poo bags and cat litter in the summer months.”

Karen Hague said: “Great more fly tipping and tips a nightmare. They want to know everything before you dump it – well done Blackpool council.

Jenny Drury said: “1: Food waste bin which will increase vermin such as flies, insects, rats and mice. Sounds like a genius idea (not).2: How big will the food bins be ? Are they for outdoor or indoor ? If indoor, where do you expect people to keep these bins that are going to stink of rot and attract vermin ?3: Tri-weekly Grey Bin collection is the most stupid idea yet.4: It’s a disgrace that the council charge for the green cycling bins full stop when they get so much council tax off of each household. Green bins should be FREE .. period.”

Paul Fletcher said: “If it’s a national scheme and all councils will adopt the same model, then why can’t food waste go into the green waste bins as already applies in certain areas? The majority of people don’t use their green waste bin due to the charge so why not use that for the food waste instead of supplying another one at great cost to the council who are always pleading poverty?

Lyle Marcel said: “The compost bin is a good idea but many councils provide that service while still maintaining a two-weekly general waste collection. The move to three-weekly is unsanitary and bad news for anyone with babies, pets, periods, continence issues or other medical conditions that generate domestic waste.”

Luke Baron was more supportive, saying: “We have a larger blue and black bin and can normally skip a every other bin emptying day for each as the bins aren’t full enough. Replacing the brown bag is good and reduction in green waste bin. Seems good to me!”

Shaun Brookes also back the initiative, saying: “There will be weekly food collections. Less stuff will go in the grey bins. The brown bags that are currently picking up wet paper will be replaced with bins so that more of it can be recycled. Green bin costs are coming down significantly. How is that not 3 good things? (4 if you have a green bin!) Currently food waste sits outside in a bin for a fortnight.

“I raised the question about residential within commercial areas and there will be some hubs around secondary shopping districts to make it even easier to recycle. Many people fail to understand we aren’t like Poulton etc, where they just pick them up. As a unitary we have a duty to pick it up and to process it.”