A number of local authorities in Wales now only collect black bins every three weeks - and more could soon follow. Newport council became the most recent council to approve three-weekly collections after the proposal was approved on Wednesday, March 1.
It is the tenth of Wales' 22 local authorities to have adopted similar schemes including one which has recently reduced collections to once every four weeks. Rhondda Cynon Taff council also moved to three-weekly bin collections in January, which drew an angry reaction from some in the area, with some saying they were "disgusted" by the proposals. You can read more about what they said here.
Several more local authorities in Wales are also considering making the change, including Cardiff. Here are all the councils where black bins are collected every three weeks or less, as well as the ones which may soon see a reduction. Other councils considered making the change to less-frequent bin collections, but did not go ahead with the plans. Get all the latest news straight to your inbox by signing up for one of our newsletters here.
Read more: Meals on wheels in Rhondda Cynon Taf to see 50p price increase
The local authorities where bins are collected every three weeks or less
Conwy
Collections every four weeks began across the whole county on September 24, 2018. Previously most of the county had waste collected every three weeks with 10,000 households on a four-weekly trial.
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Black bags and bins will now be collected every three weeks across the local authority instead of every two according to proposals approved by the council’s cabinet on Monday, January 23.
Blaenau Gwent
Residual waste is collected using black wheelie bins or bags every three weeks in Blaenau Gwent. In February 2023 council leaders said collections would not change to every four weeks after the idea was suggested in a previous council meeting.
Ceredigion
The council switched to three-weekly black bin collections in 2019 following a trial. The authority's cabinet backed the move following feedback from a public consultation.
Gwynedd
General waste in Gwynedd has been collected every three weeks since May 2015. The controversial plans saw protestors campaign against the move.
Anglesey
Members of the council's executive committee approved three-weekly general waste collections in January 2016. Provisional data from bin company Biffa showed that the council lifted its recycling rate to 66% in 2016/17, 10% up on the previous year.
Pembrokeshire
Residual waste is collected once every three weeks. Each household is provided with 52 grey bags for the year and can put out a maximum of three grey bags for each kerbside collection, which is sent to an Energy from Waste facility in south Wales.
Powys
The local authority became the second in Wales to implement three-weekly kerbside residual waste collections when the system began in November 2015.
Carmarthenshire
Black bin bags have been picked up every three weeks instead of two since the end of January in Carmarthenshire. The change means residents can put out a maximum of three black bags for collection, and also recycle more. That is because blue recycling bags are now picked up every week instead of two, alongside green food waste bins.
Another change was the introduction of a kerbside collection of glass bottles and jars, which happen the same day black bags are picked up. These changes came into effect the week beginning Monday, January 23.
Newport
The council previously proposed moving to a three-week cycle for collecting general household and garden waste. The bins are currently collected every fortnight. Recycling collections would remain unchanged.
On March 1, during the council's budget announcement for 2023/24, plans to move to three-weekly bin collections were approved. It also included an 8.5% council tax rise and switching street lights off overnight. The budget was widely criticised by opposition councillors.
The local authorities that could see bins collected every three weeks, or have dropped plans to do so
Cardiff
The local authority has approved plans to trial changing non-recyclable waste collections from once every two weeks to once every three weeks. The pilot was approved as part of Cardiff Council's Recycling Strategy 2022-25.
Following its approval in September 2022, leader of the opposition at Cardiff Council, Cllr Adrian Robson said he had "deep concerns" about it. The scheme has not yet been rolled out anywhere in the capital and there is no date set.
Vale of Glamorgan
The council is set to move to one bin bag collection every three weeks. If approved, the changes will come into effect from July 1. The proposed garden waste charge will come in the form of an annual subscription payment for the collection of green waste once per fortnight between March and November.
Flintshire
In January 2023 the council cabinet approved a three-weekly bin collection pilot after being at risk of a fine for failing to hit 70% recycling targets set out by the Welsh Government.
In March 2023, residents have been given four months to improve their recycling levels to avoid reduced collections.
Denbighshire
The council plans to bring in weekly recycling and monthly bin collections in a radical shake up announced in March 2023.
From March, 2024, the blue bins in which householders currently put recycling materials will be replaced by trolley boxes, with separate containers for different materials such as glass, tins, plastic and paper, North Wales Live reports.
Instead of being collected every fortnight they will be collected weekly, as will food waste. The 140-litre black bins currently used for non-recyclable waste will be phased out and replaced by the larger blue bins (240l) and be collected every four-weeks, instead of fortnightly from next year.
Wrexham
In late January 2020, the council dropped plans for three-weekly bin collections. It came despite a report to councillors which argued strongly in favour of moving away from the current fortnightly service for black bins.
The report warned members that failing to switch to less frequent collections could cost the local authority more than £800,000. This includes a £500,000 fine for not meeting recycling targets. A public consultation on three-weekly bin collections in 2018 revealed concerns about fly-tipping, vermin and bad smells.
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