Middlesbrough Council is set to begin delivering new red-lidded recycling bins to homes across Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, starting on March 2, 2026. The rollout, which follows a public information campaign launched in February, introduces a separate collection for paper and cardboard to help increase local recycling rates.
Most households with enough outdoor space will receive a 240-litre bin with a red lid. Families living in homes without space for another large wheeled bin, such as terraced housing, will be given red sacks to use for their paper and card instead.
Once the new red bins and sacks are in use, the existing blue-lidded bins will only be used for plastics, glass, and metal tins. Sorting these materials separately is intended to stop different types of waste from mixing, which helps more items get recycled effectively.
The new system is set to go live on March 31, 2026, and will also feature a new weekly collection for food waste. To support this, residents are being provided with two new containers for food scraps, including a small caddy for the kitchen and a larger bin to keep outside.
The updated waste collection service is funded by central government through a national grant. This funding ensures that residents do not have to pay a direct charge to receive the new bins or sacks as the council updates its services.
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