Opinion: Recycling revolution - we will get used to new bins

It took us a while to get used to the supermarket bag revolution but now it's second nature, says Caroline (Image: Denise Bradley) Bringing your own bags to the supermarket? Seriously?
When we first started paying for disposable bags, it felt like a massive imposition, but we’re now entirely used to it and we understand why.
Smoking bans in pubs, restaurants, workplaces etc etc… how will that work? Perfectly fine it turns out.

It's normal not to smoke in pubs and restaurants too now, she says, because we understand why it's importantEven so, and no matter how logical something may be, we all need reassurance when things change. And this is why we, at East Suffolk Council, must do our very best to explain the thinking behind proposals which will change our waste and recycling collection service, in line with the requirements of government legislation.
That last bit is very important of course.

We will get used to the new bins, says Caroline (Image: Newsquest)We are not doing this because we are all sitting behind a desk, somewhere remote, looking for ways to make people’s lives more complicated!
We live in the area, and we understand what these changes mean. However, there is legislation (which all councils must adhere to) that drives this process and the reason it has been brought in is simple. 
Recycling rates in the UK are worryingly low compared to our European neighbours, and desperately need to improve.
The Government’s requirements are clear and unambiguous: we must increase the types of material which can be recycled at home by including glass and cartons; with plastic film to be included the following year.
This will also be in addition to a brand-new weekly food waste collection, which is to be introduced across Suffolk in the Spring of 2026.
So how do we make this work?

The new collection method will mean paper and card don't get damaged and therefore unsuitable for recycling, says Caroline (Image: BMSDC) East Suffolk’s Cabinet agree that the very best way to achieve these improvements is to introduce ‘twin stream’ recycling which would see all households supplied with an additional wheelie bin or other container to separate paper and card, from plastics, metal, cartons (including Tetra Pak) and glass bottles or jars.
The current method of collecting recycling (all in one bin) means that a large amount of the paper and card we collect is contaminated by the other items in the recycling bin, like food, and liquid waste.
Paper and card are also prone to becoming damp, wet, and stained when mixed with other recycling, which means that the paper mills will not accept it and recycling rates will not improve because these items have to be incinerated instead.
The other important way we can all help to recycle more is to introduce a three-weekly residual (non-recyclable waste) waste collection service, instead of the current fortnightly arrangement - and this idea, unsurprisingly, is attracting a lot of attention.
However, there are very good reasons for this, and we really hope that we can take everybody with us on this journey to radically improve our waste and recycling habits.
The reality is that Suffolk has the potential to divert over 58% of waste from residual rubbish bins to other recycling and organic waste collections and if we genuinely make the effort to reduce our waste, the three-weekly residual waste collections do work, as has been shown around the UK in council areas where this has already been introduced.
So, does this mean we would be collecting less ‘stuff’ in total? Absolutely not!
While a three-weekly collection of non-recyclable waste would reduce the frequency that this particular bin is collected, the new recycling service, alongside the weekly collection of food waste, would actually increase the combined bin capacity each household receives. And of course, the new food waste collection service means that there should be no great increase in odorous waste or vermin caused by less frequent residual waste collections.
So, what about the households which simply cannot accommodate an additional full-sized bin?
What about those who have particular requirements, and are very concerned about three-weekly waste collection?
This is where I will try and provide that reassurance I told you about earlier. To be clear: alternative arrangements WILL be considered for households with legitimate storage issues, and for those with particular medical needs and households, say, with children in nappies.
As we do currently, we will listen, and we will help!
But it is worth bearing in mind the reality, which is that other Councils have ‘rolled out’ this new service and supplied additional full-sized bins to over 90% of residents. They have also considered the difficulties that a minority of residents will face… as will we. We will be working with all communities to ensure the right solution is provided, but for the vast majority, the new service will work, and it will work well.
Partnership working is absolutely key of course, and we have been working closely with the county’s other district and borough authorities who are all also reviewing their waste and recycling services to meet the new requirements. Our neighbouring councils also know that recycling rates in the county are low and their determination to improve them is entirely understandable.
Once the final decision in East Suffolk is taken, the hard work then really begins.
A huge engagement campaign will help everybody to understand the new waste and recycling requirements, providing clear and simple information about the service changes. But even before that, the Council will work with its delivery partners East Suffolk Services, to ‘model’ the changes; seeking to ensure that collections are carried out as effectively and efficiently as possible from 2026 onwards, putting our customer first.
It's a big change, but it’s the right change – and we are grasping a great opportunity which, like so many big changes before them, will take some getting used to, but will work and will be for the benefit of us all.