Planning ahead for new recycling service
A majority of households are set to move from recycling boxes to wheeled recycling bins next year, making it easier for residents to recycle.
Plans which will see around 63,000 homes move from three small recycling boxes to two 180-litre wheeled recycling bins from summer/autumn 2027 during the initial phase. The new bins will provide more space for recycling, help keep materials dry, reduce litter, and improve safety for both residents and collection crews.
A request period forms part of plans to modernise recycling collections and we are asking that any household needing larger 240-litre recycling bins request them now, ahead of the introduction of the new bins across the city next year.
The initial rollout will apply to households that currently receive a refuse (black bin) collection and kerbside recycling collection from. Households recently included in the bags-to-bins programme, properties receiving bag collections, homes with communal bins and households served by St Nicks are not part of this initial phase.
Under the proposed service, households will receive two wheeled recycling bins:
- One for paper and cardboard
- One for plastics, cans, cartons and glass
Each recycling bin will be collected once every four weeks. Paper and cardboard will be collected one week and plastics, cans, glass and cartons two weeks later, meaning households will receive an alternating recycling collection every two weeks, but with larger overall capacity.
The standard collection cycle will be:
- Week 1: Refuse (black bin)
- Week 2: Paper and cardboard recycling
- Week 3: Refuse (black bin)
- Week 4: Plastics, cans, glass and cartons recycling
While the standard 180-litre recycling bins are expected to be suitable for most households, we recognise that some homes may need additional recycling capacity because of household size or other circumstances. Two 180-litre recycling bins provide more capacity than the three recycling boxes currently used by most households. However, homes that easily fill three recycling boxes currently may benefit from larger 240-litre bins.
If you think your household may need larger recycling bins please request this online by 30 October 2026 via www.york.gov.uk/RecyclingReview
If anyone needs help to complete the form, they can call 01904 551551, and our Customer Services team will help them complete the form over the phone:
Councillor Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency at City of York Council, said: “York residents told us during our Recycling Review that they want recycling to be easier and more convenient and want to see an end to street litter that is blown out of the boxes on recycling days. As we prepare for the planned rollout of new recycling bins next year, we want to make sure the new service works well for those making the switch.
“For most homes, two standard 180-litre recycling bins will provide good recycling capacity and will offer greater capacity than the existing service. However, we know some households may need larger bins as they recycle more for different reasons. If this is you, please let us know as soon as possible”.
Households do not need to take any action unless they require larger recycling bins than the standard 180-litre size being proposed.
We are continuing work to identify suitable recycling solutions for properties where wheeled bins may not be appropriate because of storage limitations, access issues or other constraints.
For more information about the proposed changes and the latest waste and recycling updates, visit: