Big Change Ahead as Warrington Prepares for New Bin Collection Service

Warrington: Residents are gearing up for a big change as food waste collections kick off in April next year. The council just approved the purchase of food waste caddies to help with this new service.

Starting April 1, 2026, collections will happen weekly. This means Warrington folks will have three bins, or four if they opt for green bin collections.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, who’s in charge of health and social care, mentioned that other places have been doing this for a while. She pointed out that food waste in landfills is bad for the environment because it creates methane.

She understands that changing habits can be tough, but it’s for a good cause. The goal is to reduce emissions and help the planet. Cllr McLaughlin hopes there will be a solid communication plan to explain the benefits and support residents as they adjust to using their new food caddies.

She recalled when blue bins were introduced, and some people were not thrilled about sorting their recycling. It’s another adjustment, but she believes residents will see the value in it.

The Environment Act 2021 requires local authorities to provide a weekly food collection service. Each home will get a 5L kitchen caddy and a larger 23/25L caddy for weekly collection.

The council received a grant of over £1.8 million from DEFRA to help roll out this service. They plan to order 60,000 caddies initially, with another 15,000 to follow in the next few months to meet the Act’s requirements. There are about 98,000 homes in Warrington, including houses and flats, so it’s a big task ahead!