How extra wheelie bins could boost city's recycling rates

A major shake-up of York's recycling system - which would cost nearly £3m to introduce - is expected to be approved by city councillors this week.

The Labour-run authority wants to give more than 60,000 homes two extra wheelie bins, switching them away from the current "three-box" recycling set-up.

A further 10,000 households, mostly terraces with limited storage, are said to need "further assessment" and are in the second phase of the scheme.

But how will the changes boost recycling rates in the city?

The new strategy would mean an enormous logistics operation, and it has come from pressure from the government for councils to increase recycling rates, which have been stuck on about 44% since 2015.

In a briefing to explain York's proposed changes, council officers mentioned these "flatlining" figures, and a national policy to collect plastic film from homes and businesses, which is due to start next spring.

Jenny Kent, the councillor responsible for the environment, said: "This is being proposed because we want to improve recycling rates in York and make collections easier and cleaner.

"Lidded wheeled bins are easier to store materials in, will prevent recycling being blown around on windy days, and provide more capacity for recycling.

"We know the boxes are difficult to lift move around, not just for residents but also for our waste staff, who suffer disproportionate numbers of injuries due to that repeated lifting and carrying of boxes."

A council report said 1,281 staff absence days were recorded in 2024 due to council workers suffering "musculoskeletal-related" injuries, with 1,386 lost in 2025.

Paula Widdowson, who is deputy leader of the council's opposition Liberal Democrats, said the council's view that the new system would boost recycling rates was "astonishing".

"The proposal would move recycling collections from every two weeks to every four weeks," Widdowson said.

Under the council's plan, household waste and garden waste collections, if residents have subscribed to them, would take place every two weeks.

The new, wheeled recycling bins, one for paper and card, the other for tins, plastic and glass, would be emptied on a two-weekly cycle, slotting in between the household waste collections.

The proposals mean some York houses having four wheeled bins; one for household waste, one for paper and card, another for tins, plastic and glass and, if the householder has subscribed to that service, one for garden waste.

Widdowson said the plan for recycling collections - which would see each of the new wheelie bins emptied once on a four-week timetable - was what concerned her most.

"If a collection is missed, a resident could potentially be waiting two months before their recycling is collected. That risks pushing more waste into black bins.

"The council should be looking at how it can make recycling easier, not making it harder and hoping that somehow recycling rates will increase."

York Green Party campaigner Henry Stevens said: "The council must be flexible according to peoples' circumstances. A one size fits all approach will not work."

City of York Council also said the new system could bring in more income - as it will have more recycled material to trade - and save it money in the long-term.

A report to Tuesday's meeting stated keeping paper and card and tins, plastic and glass in two separate "recycling streams" meant the material was more valuable.

"This currently generates £800,000 of income for the council annually and it is critical to maintain this income for council finances, and to meet our environmental objectives of reducing waste and increasing high quality recycling," the report said.

Stan Wootton, getting ready to take his dog for a morning walk in Wigginton, a York suburb, said he was happy with the recycling plan if it made collections easier.

"We manage OK with the three boxes, but I suppose it probably is easier to take a wheelie bin out rather than carrying the boxes," he added.

Around the corner, Roger Andrews said he preferred using the boxes, as he is able to keep them closer to where he will fill them with recyclables.

"If they are bins then they have to be outside, they're further away and more difficult to use," he added.

Four miles down the road, in the terraced streets close to York Hospital, Simon Ward was also walking his dog.

He said the council should allocate the wheelie bins on a "street-by-street" basis, depending how much space there is.

"The apartment I live in has communal bins, so adding another won't make much difference, as we already have six or seven.

"But in tighter streets it might be better to give one bin instead of two, otherwise you're not going to be able to fit anything in."

Kent said if the proposals are approved, the council's next steps would be to invite tenders from firms to supply the bins.

"People could expect to see these bins being rolled out next summer, at the earliest," Kent added.

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