CHANGES to the way waste and recycling are collected in Redcar and Cleveland are set to take effect from April, with the introduction of a new weekly food waste recycling collection.
As part of Government plans to improve recycling and lower greenhouse gases, all councils in England must offer a weekly food waste collection service to all households.
The council will be delivering a welcome pack, a 5 litre caddy to collect food waste in the kitchen, a roll of compostable liners to line the caddy, an outdoor 23 litre food waste container which will be emptied weekly. Deliveries will start on 23 March and are expected to be completed by 25 May 2026. Roll out for communal properties will start in June and are expected to be completed by the end of July.
All householders need to do is empty any food waste, such as plate scrapings, peelings and tea bags into the new, lined kitchen caddy. When full, tie the liner and empty it into the new outside food waste recycling container ready for collection. Full instructions will be provided with the containers.
Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Cllr Neil Bendelow, said:
“Food waste collections are being introduced as part of new national requirements for councils across England. With around a third of the waste in our household bins being food, recycling it will significantly cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions and help protect our environment.
“We recognise this is one of the biggest changes to our waste service in many years, and we will work closely with residents to make the transition as smooth as possible.”
The council will roll out the collection service in April and May and collect food waste weekly on the same day as the households waste and recycling is collected:
- Tuesday collections: from 14 April 2026
- Wednesday collections: from 29 April 2026
- Thursday collections: from 14 May 2026
- Friday collections: from 29 May 2026.
Food waste is taken to an anaerobic digestion facility where it is used to generate natural forms of energy and soil fertiliser.
For further information please visit: www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/foodwaste, email: contactus@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk, or call: 01642 774774