Two New Bins Incoming: Weekly Food Waste Collection Coming to Burton from March

Get ready, Burton - a new bin day routine is coming your way. Starting 30th March 2026, households across East Staffordshire will begin receiving a brand-new weekly food waste collection service, thanks to changes in national recycling law.

To help everyone prepare, the council will be delivering two new food waste bins to every home over the coming weeks – a small silver kitchen caddy for collecting scraps indoors, and a larger green caddy for kerbside collection. You’ll also get a starter roll of liners and a leaflet explaining how it all works.

But don’t rush out and start using them just yet – the service won’t begin until 30th March, so hold off putting your green caddy out for now.

🥕 What’s This All About Then?

Under the Environment Act 2021, councils across England must now offer simpler and more frequent recycling, including weekly food waste collections. Until now, East Staffordshire didn’t have a separate system for food waste – and that’s a big deal, considering food waste can make up to 43% of the contents of some grey bins locally.

Collecting food waste separately has multiple benefits:

• Reduces greenhouse gases

• Creates fertiliser through a process called anaerobic digestion

• Generates renewable energy for the National Grid

• Cuts council disposal costs

• Helps you see and reduce your own food waste (saving money along the way)
  
  

🗓 Will My Bin Days Change?

Nope – your collection day stays the same.

The green outdoor caddy will simply be collected every week, alongside your usual grey (refuse) or blue (recycling) bin. Just make sure it’s clearly visible from the road on bin day.

🧺 How to Use the New Food Waste Service

You’ll receive:

• A silver indoor caddy for your kitchen

• A green outdoor caddy for collection

• A roll of liners to start you off

Here’s how it works:

1. Line your silver caddy with one of the provided liners.

2. Pop in your food waste (see list below).

3. When full, tie the liner and transfer it to your green caddy.

4. Put the green caddy out on collection day with your other bins.

For those living in flats, you’ll still get the silver indoor caddy and liners. Your outdoor food waste will go into a larger communal bin provided in your bin store.

🍽 What Can Go In?

Yes please:

• Fruit and veg (raw or cooked)

• Meat and fish (raw or cooked, including bones)

• Bread, cakes, pasta, rice, beans

• Dairy items (cheese, eggshells, etc.)

• Tea bags, coffee grounds

• Mouldy food (just remove packaging first)

• Plate scrapings and leftovers
  
  

No thanks:

• Packaging (plastic, paper, foil, etc.)

• Liquids like oil, soup or drinks

• Glass, metal, plastics

• Nappies

• Garden waste or soil

• General household rubbish
  
  

If your caddy contains the wrong items, it won’t be collected, and you’ll get a tag explaining why. You’ll then need to remove the offending items and wait until your next collection.

🤢 Worried About Smells or Flies?

Because food waste is now collected weekly, you’ll likely experience less smell and fewer pests than before. Just remember to:

• Tie your liners securely

• Keep the caddy out of direct sun

• Lock the green caddy lid by moving the handle forward

💷 Is It Free?

Yes – the whole service is completely free, including both bins and your first roll of liners. If you don’t receive your liners or need more later on, you can call 01283 508000. You can also use a carrier bag (check for holes!) in the meantime.

🔄 What Happens to the Food Waste?

Once collected, your scraps are taken to a special facility where they go through anaerobic digestion – a process that breaks down food to create:

• Biogas (used to generate electricity and heat)

• Nutrient-rich fertiliser (used on farms to grow more food)

It’s an efficient, sustainable way to deal with food waste that would otherwise sit in landfill.

🌍 Why Bother?

Apart from the good feeling of doing your bit, using the food waste bin:

• Helps cut greenhouse gas emissions

• Saves money for the council (which can be spent on things like parks, roads and leisure centres)

• Lets you see how much food you’re throwing away – and maybe waste less

• Helps lower your household bills by encouraging better food planning
  
  

And remember – grey bins are only collected fortnightly. So shifting food waste into its own weekly collection might actually make your life a bit less… whiffy.

💡 Top Tip

For smart ways to reduce the amount of food waste you create in the first place, from cooking tips to portion advice, check out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.

So, keep an eye out for your caddies arriving soon, and get ready to make Burton greener – one banana peel at a time. ♻️