Durham County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve changes to County Durham’s household recycling collections this week, in line with the Simpler Recycling reforms introduced by the government.
The new legislation makes it a statutory requirement for councils to collect the same materials for recycling across the country, making it easier for residents to know what can and cannot be recycled.
This includes a requirement for all councils to introduce weekly household food waste collections by 31 March 2026, and by March 2025 for large businesses.
Cabinet will hear that options have been considered for collecting food waste and that weekly collections in a separate specialised vehicle – called a stillage vehicle – would be the most cost effective and efficient option.
The stillage vehicles have small compartments, which would also make it possible to safely collect small batteries and used vapes from households.
The council is also proposing to simplify recycling, making it easier for residents and for refuse collectors. Glass recycling is proposed to be collected in the main recycling blue-lidded bin, rather than in a separate box.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “As part of our ambitions to tackle climate change and reduce the county’s carbon emissions, we are committed to introducing new and innovative ways to make it easier for residents to recycle items that would generally be disposed of as waste.
“Introducing food waste collections will support our plans to reduce the county’s emissions and allows us the opportunity to review our current household collections process and make additional positive changes.”
“For every tonne of food waste that is recycled, half to one tonne of carbon dioxide is prevented from entering the atmosphere.
“Not only that, but the process produces a biogas and biofertliser, which can be used for energy and farming.”
Residents will be contacted about their collection date and provided with containers ahead of household food waste collections coming into place in 2026.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
