Please see note below about the upcoming waste and recycling changes from Cllr Thomas Rowe
Dear Parish Councillors,
I wanted to share some information about the upcoming changes to Colchester’s waste and recycling collections, which will begin from 1 June 2026, with the full rollout taking place gradually until March 2027.
These changes are part of the council’s programme to simplify recycling, improve safety for collection crews and meet the Government’s Simpler Recycling requirements.
What will change
Most households that currently place waste and recycling out in bags will move to a wheeled-bin system:
- 180L black wheeled bin – non-recyclable waste
- 240L green wheeled bin – mixed recycling (paper, card, plastics, tins & cans together)
- Glass – remains collected in a separate box
- Food waste – continues to be collected weekly in a food caddy
Collection days will change for many households and new recycling calendars will be issued shortly before June.
Checking what service a property will receive
Residents can use the council’s service checker to see what their future collection service will look like:
Service Checker:
https://www.colchester.gov.uk/check-my-service
This will tell residents whether:
- their property has been assessed yet
- they will receive the standard wheeled-bin service
- their property may not be suitable for bins
- they are part of a flats collection service.
Wheelie bin exceptions
Some properties may not be suitable for wheeled bins due to access constraints or storage limitations. In these cases, residents may be able to continue using bag collections under the council’s waste policy.
If residents believe their property may not be suitable for bins, I would encourage them to:
- Check the service checker above
- Contact the council to request an assessment if needed and make me aware so I can fight on your behalf.
Help for residents
If any residents in your parish are unsure about their allocation or would like help applying for an exception, please direct them to me and I will do my best to assist.
Given the number of rural properties across our parishes, it would be particularly helpful if residents could check their service early so any issues can be resolved before the rollout.
Further information
More details about the changes can be found here:
Recycling and waste changes
https://www.colchester.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste-changes
Waste and recycling information
https://www.colchester.gov.uk/recycling-and-rubbish/
Kind regards,
Tom
Cllr Thomas Rowe
Rural North ward
Colchester City Council
Conservative
https://www.facebook.com/thomasrowe83
07375 238749