Recycling and waste collections will be changing from October 2025 as part of a new contract that will start on 5 April 2025. The scheme will make it easier for residents to recycle more and reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste thrown away. This will reduce the city's carbon footprint, be good for the environment, and reduce the disposal cost of waste that cannot be recycled.
What will change?
Food waste will continue to be collected weekly. How and when recycling is collected will be confirmed by the council and its new contractor in due course. The few things left over which cannot be recycled and currently go in a black bag will be collected fortnightly, as agreed by the council's cabinet on 31 October 2023. You can read this on our democracy website.
Most homes will also switch from plastic sacks to wheeled bins for both recycling and waste that cannot be recycled.
Why are we making this change?
Keeping things as they are now will not help us to increase recycling rates. In 2023/24 we recycled 43.5% of our waste but this is reducing. Local authorities must achieve a recycling rate of 65% by 2035. It would also cost the council an extra £10m over the next 8 years, on top of the increased cost of a new waste contract.
With an estimated budget gap of £32.9m over the next four years we cannot afford this.
Wheeled bins can also help to encourage recycling and therefore increase recycling levels. They are also better for the environment as they prevent scavenging by animals which helps to keep the streets clean.
The council expects that the amount recycled locally will increase with the changes.
Who will get wheeled bins and how many?
Most homes will get up to three wheeled bins. The detailed criteria of how this will be assessed is still to be finalised. Residents will be informed of the outcome prior to the start of the new scheme and will have the chance to raise any concerns.
The council's cabinet approved draft criteria to assess where wheeled bins would be appropriate or not on 30 January 2024. You can read this on our democracy website.
I live in a flat and we get a communal collection. Will that change?
Flats that have communal bins will continue to get their current service.
Southend-on-Sea has houses of multiple occupation (HMOs). Has that been considered?
Yes. HMOs will be identified before the assessment process takes place. This will ensure that their circumstances are specifically considered.
I receive an assisted collection. Will that continue?
Yes.
I am subscribed to the garden waste service. Will that option continue?
Yes. The garden waste scheme will remain an optional buy-into service.
When you renew your annual subscription, your garden waste collection service will continue for another year. For example, if you renew in November 2024, your subscription will run until November 2025. Although a new contractor will start in April 2025, they will continue to empty your garden waste bin as usual, since your subscription is already paid.
Please note that the garden waste bin belongs to you, and if you renew your subscription for another year, you will continue to use this same bin.
Further information will be provided by Southend-on-Sea City Council to all garden waste collection subscribers in early 2025.
When will these changes happen?
The new contract will be in place from 5 April 2025. The successful contractor will need time to bring in a new scheme. The council is not expecting major changes to collections until October 2025.