Better Recycling is coming in June 2026

What is changing

New Government policy (GOV.UK - Simpler Recycling policy) requires councils to collect food waste in a separate container and to collect paper and card separately from other recycling. For this reason we will be delivering two new external bins and an internal one for your food.

When

This new collection service starts in June 2026. We will post the exact dates to you nearer the time.

Who is paying

The Government is providing extra funding to help set this new service. New rules will also make packaging producers invest more towards waste and recycling.

We are aiming to deliver the new bins between February and May, but these bins will arrive at different times to each other.

Please do not use these new bins until the collection service has started.

Most households will receive:

• one extra 240 litre green lidded recycling bin for their paper and card - approximately 110 cm high by 59 cm wide by 75 cm deep 
  
• 23 litre food caddy (outside) - 39 cm by 29 cm by 34 cm
• 5 litre kitchen caddy (inside) - 21 cm by 25 cm by 19 cm.
  

Your current blue bin will continue to be for recycling but will now also include you being able to recycle glass bottles and jars, plastic film, metal and cartons (including Tetra Pak).

Collection times

Due to the new service your bin collection days and schedules may change but we will keep changes to a minimum. We will confirm these changes with you by post nearer the time.

From June households will have:

• food waste collected weekly
• paper and card (grey recycling bin with green lid) collected once every four weeks
• mixed recycling (blue bin) collected once every four weeks
• non-recyclable (black bin) waste collected once every two weeks
• garden waste (paid for service) collected once every two weeks

Your garden waste collection day will not change.

We are identifying properties with no front storage or no rear access. If your home is one of these, we will be supplying you with a suitable alternative. You will not need to contact us to inform us if you live in one of these properties.

Your new green lidded recycling bin for paper and card

Clean and dry only:

• letters, envelopes and other paper including shredded paper
• cardboard
• newspapers, magazines and books
• cardboard egg boxes and punnets

Do not put dirty food wrappers or other items that can be recycled in with clean paper and card.

Your new Food waste bin

Your smaller caddy is for the kitchen, and the larger lockable caddy is to go outside with other bins.

These items belong in the food caddy:

• leftover food, plate scrapings and peelings
• meat and fish (including bones)
• tea bags and coffee grounds
• bread, pasta and rice
• eggshells and dairy products
• fruit and vegetables
• pet food

Do not put windfall food (fallen fruit) in your food bin.

Changes to what can go in your blue recycling bin

• glass bottles and jars
• clean foil trays and drinks cans
• cartons (including Tetra Pak)
• plastic bottles, clean pots, tubs and trays
• carrier bags
• bubble wrap
• empty food bags, such as cereal, pasta, mixed salad, frozen chips and frozen peas
• tin foil

General waste (non-recycling)

Please only use this bin for waste that cannot be recycled for example:

• bagged animal waste
• bagged vacuum contents
• nappies
• soiled fast food containers
• other non-recyclable waste

Do not put batteries, electrical items, paint, asbestos and hazardous items in this bin.

Garden waste collection (brown bin) is a subscription service

Your collection day for garden waste will not change.

Put these items in your brown bin:

• dead plants and flowers
• grass, leaves and weeds (excluding controlled weeds such as Giant Hogweed or Japanese Knotweed)
• hedge clippings
• prunings and twigs
• clean sawdust (not containing pet waste)
• small branches (less than 6cm thick)
• vegetable waste from the garden (not kitchen waste)

Do not put food items in your brown bin unless its windfall (fallen fruit).

For a full list of what you can and can’t put in your bins please visit: Suffolk Recycling - Better Recycling is coming to Suffolk

If you live in a flat or a property which shares communal bins, or we have assessed your property as unsuitable for wheelie bins, the waste containers you will use for the new service may be different.

We are reviewing bin provision for flats and communal areas. We are working with landlords and management companies to make sure enough bins are available before the new service starts.

If you receive extra bins, please check whether they belong to a neighbour. If you have not received your bins, please check to see if a neighbour received your bins in error. If not, please contact us by phoning Customer Services on 01284 757320.

We will not be delivering both bins at the same time. There will be a small gap between receiving your food bin and your paper and card bin

The paper and card that we collect will be taken to a specialist paper recycling plant to be checked for contamination and then processed for recycling.

The recycling waste from your blue bin will still be taken to the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Items are separated and checked for contamination and then sent on to companies who recycle them. The MRF is being re-designed to sort the glass, plastics, metal and cartons collected in the blue recycling bins.

Waste from your black bin goes to the energy from waste plant in Great Blakenham. Waste is then incinerated to generate electricity.

We do not send waste to landfill.

Food waste will be collected weekly in the new food waste bins. It will go to an anaerobic digestion plant - a process that breaks down food waste to make biogas and bio‑fertiliser. Biogas can power vehicles, make electricity or supply gas. Bio‑fertiliser is used on farmland.

Reduce your waste:

• buy only what you need. Choose items with less or recyclable packaging
• wash and squash plastic bottles, tubs and cartons
• nest similar shaped items (for example yoghurt pots)
• flatten cardboard boxes
• plan meals and freeze leftovers. See Love Food Hate Waste and Food Savvy for tips
• if you have extra rubbish take it to your local Recycling centre.