Overview
- From 31 March 2026, every council in England must run separate collections for four household waste streams under the Simpler Recycling rules.
- The streams are residual waste, food waste that can be combined with garden waste, paper and card, and other dry recyclables such as plastic, metal and glass.
- Collections must cover all households, including flats, with containers that may be bags, bins or stackable boxes.
- A universal list of accepted materials replaces local variations, while 31 authorities have transitional arrangements delaying food waste collection requirements due to long-term contracts.
- By 31 March 2027, collections are scheduled to include plastic film and carrier bags, and guidance confirms exclusions such as compostable plastics and non-packaging glass.