Residents across Lancaster are facing ongoing bin collection disruptions following a major overhaul of waste services that began on 30 March 2026. Lancaster City Council has acknowledged that its online collection calendars have been providing incorrect information, particularly for households with extended intervals between pick-ups.
The service changes were introduced to comply with the government’s Simpler Recycling legislation, which required all councils in England to implement separate food waste collections by 31 March 2026. As part of this transition, collections for non-recyclable grey bins, red bins for plastics, glass and cans, and yellow bins for paper and cardboard moved from a fortnightly cycle to a three-weekly rotation, with one bin collected each week.
Many residents have reported confusion and missed collections due to the faulty online system. Some households were incorrectly notified that bins would be collected in consecutive weeks, while others found their bins were not picked up despite what the digital calendar indicated. The council, which received £1.46 million in government funding to support the roll-out of food waste collections, has apologised for the initial problems as the new system settles in.
Most collection calendars have now been updated and are available to view on the council website. Residents who are still unable to see their correct schedule or who are experiencing consistent issues are advised to contact the council by emailing [email protected] or by calling 01524 582491.
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