Durham County Council is introducing weekly food waste collections for all households across the county, with the service becoming fully operational throughout spring and summer 2026.
This new service will see residents receive two free food caddies: a 7-litre container for kitchen use and a 23-litre bin for outdoor storage. These will be collected on the same day as existing rubbish and recycling services, though they will be picked up at different times by new, dedicated collection vehicles.
The roll-out follows national government requirements set out in the Environment Act 2021, which mandates that local authorities in England provide separate food waste collections. While the national target for this service was 31 March 2026, the council noted that it is among the more than one-quarter of local authorities in England that did not meet the initial deadline. The estimated £6 million cost for the implementation is expected to be mostly covered by a government grant.
In addition to the new food waste service, residents will see changes to how they recycle glass. Previously collected in a separate green box, glass should now be placed directly into the blue-lidded recycling bin alongside other recyclables. Households are permitted to keep their green boxes for other uses.
The council is also running a trial for the collection of batteries and vapes. Residents participating in this pilot should bag these items separately and place them next to their food waste caddy on collection day. This measure is intended to help prevent potential fires, which can occur when these items are crushed inside standard collection vehicles.
Food waste currently makes up about one-third of the average household bin. Once collected, this waste will be processed through a method called anaerobic digestion, which turns the material into renewable energy and bio-fertiliser.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Mark Wilkes, a former cabinet member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change, commented on the significant undertaking required to deliver a reliable, county-wide service. The council serves approximately 250,000 households.
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