The Chief Executive of Lancaster City Council has issued an apology to residents following reports of ongoing issues with the rollout of new waste collection services across the Lancaster and Morecambe District. Mark Davies acknowledged that residents are facing frustrations as the council transitions to a new collection system serving more than 60,000 properties.
The changes, which became operational from 30 March 2026, moved household bin collections from a fortnightly to a three-weekly cycle. Under the new arrangements, one bin is emptied each week on the same day. These updates are part of a wider service overhaul that includes the introduction of 240-litre wheelie bins to replace previous 55-litre recycling boxes, a project supported by a £2.208m budget.
The council notes that these adjustments were prompted by the national Simpler Recycling policy from the UK Government. This policy requires local authorities across England to introduce weekly food waste collections and sets a target for councils to reach a 65 per cent recycling rate by 2035.
While the council maintains that the majority of collections are functioning as expected, some residents have voiced concerns regarding the new system. A petition opposing the move to three-weekly collections has gathered over 1,500 signatures, with concerns raised by residents regarding potential waste overflow, hygiene, and vermin. Council officials are encouraging residents to remain patient while the new system settles in and to check their updated collection calendars for specific details on when their bins will be serviced.
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