Blackpool residents have seen changes to their bin collection services starting from the week of 20 April 2026, as the town moves to a new three-weekly cycle for most household waste. Managed by Enveco NW Environmental Services, the updated system covers grey-lid, blue-lid, and brown-lid bins, which are now collected on the same three-week rotation.
The changes, which follow the government’s Simpler Recycling legislation, also include the introduction of a new weekly food waste collection service. Households have been provided with a 7-litre indoor caddy, a 23-litre outdoor caddy with a locking handle, and two rolls of liners to support the new routine. Blackpool Council stated that these measures are necessary to improve the town’s recycling rate of 40.5% and help reach a national target of 65% by 2035.
Many households have been assigned a new collection day under the updated system. Residents are encouraged to check their specific collection schedule using the online bin day checker tool available on the council’s website. To help with the transition, some households will receive a one-off grey-lid bin collection, with affected residents notified directly by letter.
While the council maintains that these changes are evidence-based and have proven successful in areas like Oldham, Rochdale, and Salford, the move has faced opposition. Conservative opposition councillor Paul Galley has criticised the three-weekly collection model, raising concerns regarding potential public health risks, odours, and flytipping. Despite these concerns, the council has confirmed there will be no disruption to collection services over the upcoming May bank holidays.
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