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For most households, black bin collections will switch from fortnightly to three-weekly in June 2025, and a wider range of recycling materials will be collected every week, including plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping.
North Somerset Council will be one of the first councils in the UK to collect plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping, such as crisp packets, bread bags, cling film, film lids, biscuit wrappers and vegetable packaging, as part of a weekly household recycling service.
Most people’s recycling and waste collection day will also change in June to increase the efficiency of collections, reduce carbon emissions, and improve reliability of the service.
Information packs outlining each household’s new arrangements will be sent out in May before the changes begin.
Councillor Annemieke Waite, North Somerset Council’s executive member for Climate, Waste and Sustainability, said: “We want to make North Somerset a thriving and sustainable place to live, work and visit. We introduced weekly kerbside recycling collections of a wide range of materials including food waste 15 years ago, and know many people are supportive and enthusiastic about recycling as much as possible.
“However, of the total waste put in black bins, 45 per cent is still made up of recycling. Over a quarter of the bin (27 per cent) is food waste, and almost half of this is unopened food still in its packaging. This is not only wasteful, but costs both residents and the council money.
“I’m so pleased we’ll soon be collecting plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping for recycling as these materials take up a lot of space in black bins. As well as making recycling easier, these changes will significantly reduce the costs associated with waste disposal and instead generate savings of more than £1 million a year to help fund vital local services.”
New red recycling bags have already started to be delivered to homes across North Somerset to provide extra space for more recycling. A brand new North Somerset Council app will launch later this month to make recycling even easier, allowing users to set up bin day reminders, get real-time service updates and check what to do with any item.
“There is additional support available for anyone who’s worried they will struggle with the changes,” added Cllr Waite.
Waste minimisation officers are available to advise people who may have concerns and are looking for help to recycle as much as they can. To request this please go to www.n-somerset.gov.uk/threeweekly.
People who may struggle with a three-weekly black bin collection due to medical needs, children in disposable nappies or a larger household may qualify for additional capacity for their rubbish. An application form to request this is available at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/threeweekly.
Not all properties are suitable for a less frequent black bin collection. Properties with communal collections and many town centre properties will keep their current frequency, though it is likely the collection day will change.
Plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping can start being presented when the household switches to three-weekly black bin collections in June. An information pack with full instructions will be delivered to everyone before these changes begin.