Birmingham residents are all too familiar with the extended bin strike that has disrupted waste collection for over a year. Council tax has surged significantly, yet recycling services remain unused, leaving many to fend for themselves when disposing of recyclables.
However, a new initiative offers some relief. Selected neighbourhoods, including Four Oaks in Sutton Coldfield, Moseley, and Stirchley, are receiving two food waste bins to help residents recycle organic waste more effectively. While the traditional collection of plastic, paper, and glass recycling remains suspended—forcing residents to use council tips for these materials—the new food waste service aims to make use of organic waste for renewable energy or natural fertiliser.
Participating households are supplied with a small seven-litre grey indoor caddy lined with liners, which can be emptied into a larger 23-litre brown outdoor caddy. On collection days, residents place the outdoor caddy alongside their household waste bin for pickup.
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With this addition, some homes may now have as many as five different council bins: household waste, recycling (currently paid for but not collected), garden waste, and the two new food waste caddies.
Accepted food waste items include meat, fish, bones, leftovers, bread, rice, pasta, fruit and vegetable peelings, teabags, and coffee grounds. Residents are instructed not to include packaging, liquids, black bin bags, flowers, garden waste, or any non-food materials.
Despite the ongoing strike causing continued collection problems, Birmingham City Council remains committed to improving waste services. Plans announced last December indicate a phased rollout of enhanced recycling services starting June 2026. These will feature weekly food waste collections and an additional recycling bin, with anticipated recycling rates exceeding 30%.
The council acknowledges past shortcomings—including high missed collection rates and low recycling performance—and emphasizes the need for change. Regardless of ongoing industrial action, the phased introduction will begin in June 2026, pending cabinet approval. Approximately 20,000 residents will transition to the new service in fortnightly stages, supported by clear communications to guide households on collection schedules and procedures.