Households in England must now keep food scraps out of the general waste bin following the introduction of the government's Simpler Recycling reforms, which came into effect on 31 March 2025. Every council in England is required to collect the same set of materials, so meat bones, tea bags, coffee grounds and fruit peelings must go into a dedicated food waste caddy rather than the black bin.
Several dry recyclables are also banned from general rubbish, according to the source. Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays are included, as are steel and aluminium cans, foil, aerosols, glass bottles and jars, and paper and cardboard such as magazines and delivery boxes. Batteries, vapes and small electrical items must likewise be kept out of general waste because of the fire risk they pose in collection lorries.
Not every household will see immediate changes. The source notes that around 30 councils have not yet fully implemented the new system. The government has invested over £1.4 billion in local authorities to support the rollout, with a target of reaching a 65% recycling rate by 2035.
Source: Ibtimes