Changes to bin collections

Households now have more opportunities to recycle as part of nationwide changes to waste collections.

In June 2026, we introduced the following changes:

• a new weekly food waste collection service - this allows households to dispose of unusable and expired food items
• extra items accepted in the recycling collection - including glass, cartons, and plastic bags, wrappings and films
• a separate paper and card collection
• a new three-weekly collection schedule

New collection schedule

Households are now provided with four collection services as standard:

• a weekly food waste collection
• a three-weekly refuse (general rubbish) collection
• a three-weekly paper and card collection
• a three-weekly recycling collection for glass, plastics, metal, and cartons

For an address in Babergh: view the Babergh waste collection schedule

For an address in Mid Suffolk: view the Mid Suffolk waste collection schedule

If you are unsure which district the address is in, you can check your district council

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

When did the new collections/schedule begin?

1 June 2026.

What extra bins should I have received?

Households should have received two food waste containers:

• one lockable 23 litre food waste bin to leave outside for collection
• one smaller 5 litre food waste caddy for use in the kitchen - small enough to sit on your worktop or under the sink

Most households should also have received one extra 240 litre wheelie bin:

Addresses in Babergh

• a green-lidded paper and card bin
• the blue bin is now the recycling bin for glass, plastics, metal, and cartons

Addresses in Mid Suffolk

• a blue-lidded recycling bin for glass, plastics, metal, and cartons
• the green-lidded bin is now the paper and card bin

Why did these changes happen?

Changes took place to ensure Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils could meet new government legislation known as Simpler Recycling.

The policy requires all councils to:

• provide weekly food waste collections
• collect a core list of recyclable items
• collect fibre recyclables (paper and cardboard) separately

This will ensure the same items are collected for recycling throughout the whole country. Therefore, it will help more people to recycle and boost national recycling rates.

View the Simpler Recycling Policy on the Government's website

Have garden waste collections changed?

No. Garden waste (brown bin) collections remain an optional, separate charged for service.

Why are refuse bins now emptied every three-weeks rather than fortnightly?

There is regular sampling and analysis of what goes into the bins in Suffolk - you can find these reports on the Suffolk Recycles website.

On average, nearly 60% of waste that residents used to put in their refuse (general rubbish) bins can now be recycled instead. For example, via the food waste or recycling collections.

Therefore, as the refuse bin will not fill up as quickly, it will need emptying less often.

With less general rubbish to collect, we were able to move to a more cost-effective three-weekly refuse collection schedule.

However, we understand that the change to a three-weekly refuse collection may be concerning for some households, such as those with larger families or medical requirements. Households may be eligible for extra bin capacity, and we will be happy to discuss any concerns.

Please note that we can no longer provide fortnightly refuse collections.

Won't this mean that bins are more likely to smell?

Previously food items, which are most likely to cause a bin to smell or attract vermin, were collected fortnightly as part of the refuse collection.

As of June 2026, we now collect food waste every week via a dedicated service. This means that food waste will spend half as long in a bin, therefore helping to reduce smells and mess.

Items placed in recycling bins should already be empty, clean and dry, so they shouldn't smell at all.

What about addresses that don’t have room for extra bins?

As we have always done, we will work with residents to look at alternative solutions, such as using smaller bins, or providing sacks instead.

For clarity, the approximate sizes (Height x Width x Depth) of the new bins are:

• 23L food waste bin - 39cm (H) x 29cm (W) x 34cm (D)
• 5L kitchen caddy - 21cm (H) x 25cm (W) x 19cm (D)
• Extra 240L wheelie bin - 110cm (H) x 59cm (W) x 75cm (D)

What extra items can I now put in the recycling bin?

As of June 2026, the following items can now be put into the blue or blue-lidded recycling bin:

• glass bottles and jars
• cartons (Tetra Pak), such as milk and drink cartons
• plastic carrier bags
• plastic wrappings, including those used around multipacks
• plastic films, for example those found on the top of fruit punnets and meat trays
• food bags, such as ones used for cereal, pasta, mixed salad, frozen chips and frozen peas
• bubble wrap

Why is there now a separate collection for paper and card?

The Government's new Simpler Recycling policy requires all councils to collect paper and card separate from other recyclable items.

This is because when paper and card are collected along with other items like glass and plastics, they can get damaged or contaminated. Therefore, reducing its recycling quality and value.

Keeping paper and card separate means they can be recycled more effectively and are worth more when sold for recycling.

What about waste collections from flats?

We have reviewed bin provision for all flats and communal areas, as well as working with landlords and management companies.

Most flats have larger communal bins to use, rather than standard wheelie bins.

However, individual flats, and properties that use communal bins, have been provided 5 litre food waste caddies for use in the kitchen.

Who paid for these changes?

The Government provided some extra funding to help councils set up new collection services.

They are also introducing new legislation (Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging). This will make packaging producers financially responsible for the materials they put onto shop shelves. Therefore, in the future, packaging producers will help to fund waste and recycling collections provided by local councils.

What if I already composted my food waste?

That is great to hear. However, some food waste such as meat, bones and pasta, can be difficult to compost at home.

We also understand that not everyone has the space or ability to compost at home.

Visit the Suffolk Recycles website to find out more about home composting, including offers on heavily subsidised composting items.

How can I reduce the amount of waste I have?

We always want to encourage households to generate as little waste as possible.

Visit the Suffolk Recycles website for useful information on how to reduce and reuse your waste

Visit the Food Savvy website for hints and tips on how you can reduce food waste, and make use of leftovers, including recipe ideas

What can I put in the food waste bin?

• out of date and mouldy food
• plate scrapings and peelings
• meat and fish (cooked and uncooked), including bones
• tea bags and coffee grounds
• bread
• pasta and rice
• eggshells
• dairy products
• fruit, vegetables and salad
• leftover pet food (wet and dry)

Can I put the food waste into my garden waste bin instead?

No. The garden waste (brown) bins are for garden waste only.

This is because garden waste is taken to the Material Change Facility in Creeting St Mary to be turned into compost. This facility uses a 'windrow' composting process. Windrow composting is used to process garden waste only and is not able to deal with food waste.

What happens to the food waste?

Food waste is taken to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facilities in either Halstead in Essex, or March in Cambridgeshire.

At the facility, the liners/bags are split so they are separated from the food waste.

The food waste goes through a process where it is broken down to produce:

• Biogas which is used as a renewable energy source to generate heat, electricity, and fuel by capturing and burning methane produced from organic waste
• Biofertiliser which is a nutrient rich fertiliser that is spread on fields

All liners/bags are taken to an energy from waste facility where waste is burned at high temperatures and used to generate electricity. This includes compostable liners/bags, as they don’t break down properly in the conditions used for anaerobic digestion.

What happens to the recycling?

Recycling, and paper and card, will still be taken to the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Great Blakenham.

However, the MRF is currently being redesigned to cope with the changes in the items collected.

Recycling collected via the blue-lidded bins

The items will go through a process where they are sorted, separated and baled. The materials are then sent to companies who can recycle them.

Paper and card collected via the green-lidded bins

As it is collected separately, the paper and card won't need sorting. Instead, it will be tipped, baled, and sent straight to paper merchants for recycling.

What happens to the refuse?

Refuse (general rubbish) is still taken to the Energy from Waste Facility in Great Blakenham.

At the facility the waste is burned at high temperatures and used to generate electricity for over 40,000 homes.

We do not send any waste to landfill.

Has my collection day change?

Probably not, although addresses that did have their collection day changed were written to.

We try to avoid changing collection days as we know this can be confusing. However, it is sometimes necessary to do so due to service demands, such as new housing developments.

For most addresses, the food waste bin will be emptied weekly on the same day as the refuse, recycling, or paper and card collection. Although, the food waste is collected by separate, dedicated crews and trucks.

Check your collection day online

What will happen to glass bottle banks?

As households will be able to recycle glass via the blue-lidded recycling bin, we expect the demand for bottle banks across the districts will decrease. Therefore, bottle banks are likely to be phased out over the coming years.

More information

Visit the Suffolk Recycles' Better Recycling webpage to find out more information

View the Better Recycling Pre Information Leaflet which was sent to all households in Suffolk between January to March 2026.

View the Food Waste Caddy Leaflet which was included with the food waste caddies when they are delivered.

In May 2026, households were posted a detailed information pack containing a new collection calendar, a Frequently Asked Questions booklet, and the applicable bin information leaflet:

• Bin Information Leaflet - Babergh
• Bin Information Leaflet - Mid Suffolk
• Communal Bin Information Leaflet - Babergh
• Communal Bin Information Leaflet - Mid Suffolk

Find information in other languages

View the Easy Read/Picture Leaflet

Watch a video which explains how to use the new recycling and waste services

Listen to an audio description explaining how to use the new recycling and waste services

Contact Waste Services if you have any concerns relating to the changes

New waste services policies

The new waste services policies came into affect from 1 June 2026.

They are designed to make recycling easier and better for everyone, and to ensure Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils can meet new government legislation.

View the Babergh District Council policy with effect from 1 June 2026

View the Mid Suffolk District Council policy with effect from from 1 June 2026