Residents in Lancaster and Morecambe are being reminded to check their updated bin collection calendars as major changes to waste and recycling services begin the week of Monday, March 30, 2026.
Lancaster City Council is moving from fortnightly to three-weekly collections for non-recyclable waste, plastics, glass, cans, paper, and cardboard. Under the new system, one type of bin will be emptied each week on a rotating schedule. The council has urged residents to verify their new collection days to avoid missed pickups.
The overhaul has been driven by UK Government Simpler Recycling legislation, which requires all councils in England to collect household food waste separately by March 31, 2026. To help households manage the changes, the council has introduced a new weekly food waste collection service. Residents have been receiving a 7-litre kitchen caddy for indoor use, a 23-litre outdoor caddy with a locking lid, liner bags, and an information guide. These packs were delivered between February 9 and March 30, 2026.
The council has also replaced older 55-litre recycling boxes with larger 240-litre wheelie bins to give residents more space to store recyclables between collections. Crews carried out the swap during existing collection rounds between September 2025 and February 2026.
Garden waste, clinical waste, and assisted collections will continue at their current frequencies, while food waste collection will begin. The changes affect more than 80% of households across the Lancaster and Morecambe district, with the rollout taking place in three phases since September 2025.
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