Waste management | LocalGov


Call for kerbside collections amidst battery-fire crisis 28/04/2025 Universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and electricals across the UK could save £6bn by boosting recycling and tackling the battery fire 'epidemic'.
Carbon tax could cost councils billions, LGA warns 25/04/2025 A scheme aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the burning of waste could place ‘billions of pounds’ of unavoidable costs on local authorities, LGA warns.
Mediator called to settle Brum bin strike dispute 24/04/2025 Unite say a deal could be ‘in touching distance’ after agreeing to engage in talks with Birmingham City Council under the auspices of arbitration service Acas.
Striking Brum bin workers reject pay offer 14/04/2025 Refuse collection workers in Birmingham have rejected the city council’s latest pay offer in long-running dispute.
Military planners sent to Brum amid bin strikes 14/04/2025 Military planners have been called in to help tackle the backlog of rubbish in Birmingham that has built up during the ongoing strike.
Angry reaction to Starmer stance on Brum bin strike 07/04/2025 A war of words has broken out between the Government and union bosses over the bin strike in Birmingham.
Brum council declares ‘major incident’ amid bin strikes 01/04/2025 Birmingham City Council has declared a major incident to address the impact of the bin strikes in a move branded by Unite as ‘disgraceful strike breaking’.
Brum council threatens redundancies to end bin strike 28/03/2025 Birmingham City Council will begin a consultation on compulsory redundancies in an effort to end the bin strike, a move Unite describes as ‘bully boy tactics’.
Digital waste tracking postponed one year 07/02/2025 The implementation of digital waste tracking is to be delayed until April 2026 due to the ‘complexities of the project’, according to the Government.
One in 10 councils considering bin collection cuts 05/02/2025 Forty-two local authorities – or one in 10 – are considering cuts to waste collection services, new data reveals.
Birmingham strikes escalate 04/02/2025 Strikes by more than 350 Birmingham bin workers will ‘intensify’ over the next two months, trade union Unite has announced.
Fifth of people report problems disposing waste 03/02/2025 New research has revealed that more than six million people were turned away from their local waste disposal or recycling centre last year.
Who’s leading the way on waste reduction and food climate action? 30/01/2025 Annie Pickering, operations director at Climate Emergency UK, looks at which councils are leading the way when it comes to helping residents reduce waste.
Judge halts man’s bid to recover £600m bitcoin from council landfill 10/01/2025 A man’s 10-year battle to recover what he says is a £600m bitcoin fortune from a Welsh council’s landfill site has been halted in the High Court.
Waste staff ‘furious’ as Veolia accused of backing out of deal 13/12/2024 Trade union Unite has accused Veolia of backing out of a recognition deal for its refuse workers in Sheffield ‘at the 11th hour’.
Council staff reject ‘insulting’ pay offer 13/12/2024 Outsourced Peterborough City Council employees are considering industrial action after rejecting a pay award.
Call for clarity on new food waste rules 05/12/2024 English councils still lack clarity on food waste regulations that come into force in just four months’ time, research has found.
Simpler Recycling: Households to be issued with four bins 29/11/2024 Local authorities are set to issue households with up to four bins as a default to separate their waste and recycling.
Recycling Week: The disposable vapes challenge 15/10/2024 Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, looks at the recycling challenge the surge in disposable vapes poses for local authorities.
Recycling Week: New government, new direction? 14/10/2024 Lee Marshall, Director of Innovation and Technical Services at CIWM, considers what the new Government means for the waste and recycling sector.
Refuse workers start ‘indefinite’ strike action 20/08/2024 Refuse workers in Sheffield have walked out in an ‘indefinite’ period of industrial action over union recognition.
Birmingham slated over pay cut plans 16/08/2024 A union has slammed cash-strapped Birmingham City Council over plans to cut the salaries of refuse workers.
Tower Hamlets tops list of worst recyclers 15/07/2024 The London borough of Tower Hamlets is the worst area for recycling in England, new research has revealed.
Refuse workers’ strike escalates 26/06/2024 Refuse workers in the London Borough of Redbridge are to escalate their industrial dispute with a ban on overtime working, trade union Unite has announced.
Council plea for landfill ban funding 25/06/2024 The Scottish Government has been asked for funding to implement a looming ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfill.
Union announces strike over working conditions 19/06/2024 Refuse workers in the London borough of Redbridge will strike next month over a ‘deterioration’ of working conditions.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils consider legal advice over waste guidance 12/06/2024 Councils are considering seeking legal advice over statutory guidance that will tell local authorities to collect residual waste at least every two weeks, The MJ understands.
Councils fall out over £94m waste treatment facility bill 04/06/2024 Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council are formerly in dispute over a £94m bill for a share in a waste treatment facility.
Biffa sues Scottish Government for £55m over DRS 16/05/2024 Biffa has confirmed it is taking legal action against the Scottish Government for losses incurred after the scrapping of the deposit return scheme (DRS).
Government advisers urge overhaul of infrastructure funding 16/05/2024 Councils should be given more funding to play a greater role in developing infrastructure projects, according to Government advisers.
Somerset’s £24m-a-year waste contract at risk 13/05/2024 Somerset Council’s waste collection contract is at risk after Suez disclosed ‘significant losses’ and said it may have to end the deal early.
Simpler Recycling: Recyclables to be collected in one bin 09/05/2024 Councils will be able to collect recyclables, such as plastic, metal, glass, paper, and card, in one container as part of the Simpler Recycling reforms.
Think-tank's call for landfill tax devolution 04/04/2024 A think-tank has called for a portion of the proceeds from landfill tax to be devolved to councils.
Councils get £295m boost for food waste collections 26/03/2024 Councils in England will share up to £295m in funding to help them introduce weekly food waste collections, Recycling Minister Robbie Moore has announced.
Council leader refuses to be ‘held to ransom’ by bin lorry vandals 18/03/2024 Vandals have been sabotaging Brighton & Hove City Council’s fleet of bin lorries, causing disruption to collection rounds.
Coffee pod recycling scheme hits million milestone 27/02/2024 An initiative run by Cherwell District Council has seen more than a million coffee pods – weighing 16.4 tonnes – recycled in eight months.
Councils call for ‘autonomy’ under EPR 26/02/2024 Councils must still have the autonomy to run waste services according to local need under new packaging reforms, the Local Government Association has said.
Thurrock bin crews trapped wheelchair user 20/02/2024 Bin crews in Thurrock have repeatedly trapped a disabled woman in her home by not returning her bins to the proper place, ombudsman finds.
Two thirds of councils expect to miss waste reform deadline 15/02/2024 Councils have urged Government to reconsider its ‘unrealistic’ waste reform deadline after research found authorities face shortfalls to fund the changes.
Concern over waste reform costs 22/01/2024 Fears have been raised that more financial pressures could be heaped on councils as a result of waste reforms.
MPs at odds with public on packaging measures 17/01/2024 Appetite for government intervention to reduce the use of packaging, either through taxes or bans, is lower among MPs than with the public, new research has found.
Refuse workers strike over alleged 'bullying culture' 11/01/2024 Bins across South Tyneside could go uncollected for eight weeks as refuse workers strike over what has been called a ‘toxic bullying culture’.
Wales passes workplace recycling law 08/12/2023 New Workplace Recycling Regulations have been passed in Wales, which will require all businesses to separate recyclable materials.
Simpler Recycling: The implications for local authorities 04/12/2023 Lee Marshall, Policy and External Affairs Director, CIWM looks at the Government’s recycling reforms and what they mean for local authorities.
Oxfordshire councils install vape recycling bins 04/12/2023 Three local authorities in Oxfordshire have joined forces to install 60 new recycling collection points for vapes across the county.
Council denied injunction to stop bin strikes 04/12/2023 Warrington Borough Council has lost a High Court bid to stop its refuse workers going out on strike.
Council admits hand in disposing of tents 15/11/2023 Camden Council has admitted that it was involved in the disposal of homeless people’s tents in central London last week.
Public services ‘in a dire state’ 31/10/2023 No public services are performing better than before the pandemic and satisfaction with councils has dropped, a report has found.
Brighton’s waste service ‘mired in racism, sexism and homophobia’ 13/10/2023 A report has described a ‘toxic’ environment and ‘normalised’ bullying behaviour within Brighton and Hove City Council’s waste department following complaints by whistleblowers.
Solving the UK’s 'wishcycling' problem 09/10/2023 Chris Williams, founder and CEO of UK cleantech ISB Global sets out how to fix the confusing state of recycling in the UK.
Sinkhole swallows up bin lorry 06/10/2023 An investigation has been launched after a refuse collection vehicle in North Wales was partially swallowed up by a sinkhole.
Seven bins? The future of consistent collections 04/10/2023 Lee Marshall, CIWM, looks at the Government’s claims to be scrapping the much-fabled ‘seven bins’ policy and the future of the consistent collections reform.
Liverpool proposes to insource waste collections 03/10/2023 Liverpool City Council is to bring its waste collection service in-house in a bid to improve recycling rates.
Unite and council reach deal to end waste strike 27/09/2023 Waste service workers and street cleaners return to work today after negotiations between Tower Hamlets Council and the trade union Unite put an end to industrial action.
Nottinghamshire waste staff to strike 15/09/2023 The GMB union has announced a week-long strike at waste recycling plants in Nottinghamshire.
'Clarity' promised on waste reforms 12/09/2023 More certainty on the Government’s waste reform programme has been promised after mandarins were taken to task over delays.
Number of vapes discarded each week soars to five million 08/09/2023 Five million single-use vapes are thrown away in the UK every week, an almost four-fold increase on last year, according to research from Material Focus.
Fleet transformations hindered by consistent collection delays 05/09/2023 Delays to waste collection reforms are seeing authorities hold back on transforming their fleets and procuring electric vehicles.
EPR scheme payments may come as late as December 2025 17/08/2023 Councils may not receive their first payments under the new extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme until as late as December 2025, The MJ has learnt.
The cost of the EPR delay 02/08/2023 Steve Palfrey, chair of ADEPT’s Waste Group, looks at the implications for councils of the delay in implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR).
Councils call for urgent clarity after further EPR delay 25/07/2023 Council chiefs have called for ‘clear timelines’ on waste policy after the Government announced a further delay to extended producer responsibility (EPR).
Glasdon Jubilee™ Duo 220: Combining the Best of Both Worlds 24/07/2023 Glasdon has launched an exciting new addition to their classic Glasdon Jubilee range; a solution that combines two worlds of waste disposal.
Westminster unveils ‘trailblazing’ fleet electrification 20/07/2023 Westminster City Council and Veolia are rolling out the UK’s largest electric refuse collection fleet, with vehicles powered by the waste they collect.
Watchdog warns councils still in dark on waste reforms 30/06/2023 The Government ‘still lacks effective long-term plans to reduce waste,’ according to a watchdog’s new report.
Gove: Trust councils on waste collection 09/06/2023 Communities secretary Michael Gove has said the Government should not ‘dictate’ to councils on waste collections.
Retailers criticise ‘extended producer responsibility’ scheme 02/06/2023 A plan to make food manufacturers pay councils for the collection and recycling of packaging waste is facing opposition from retailers and manufacturers.
UNISON launches action figures of ‘unsung heroes’ 18/05/2023 Public sector union UNISON has launched a range of council worker action figures to celebrate the ‘unsung heroes’ working on the frontlines.
North Somerset Council trials innovative bins 16/05/2023 North Somerset Council is claiming a first with an innovative new way to collect recycling and waste.
Waste officers call for fly-tipping funding 11/05/2023 Majority of council waste officers think their local authority does not have enough resources and capacity to effectively tackle fly-tipping, poll reveals.
Birmingham opens new ‘super depot’ 04/05/2023 Birmingham City Council has opened a new state-of-the-art ‘super depot’ for its waste management service, replacing two outdated yards.
Durham incinerator decision delayed again 27/04/2023 A decision on plans for a waste incinerator in County Durham has been delayed for a further two months.
Reusing household items could save £63m a year 24/04/2023 Councils should take the lead in encouraging the reuse of household items to help save millions of pounds a year, a waste management company has said.
The recycling system is in need of an overhaul – so what’s the solution? 19/04/2023 Dr Helen Holmes, lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester’s Sustainable Consumption Institute, looks at how the recycling system can be reformed.
Understanding the disposal rules for POPs 04/04/2023 Hamish Farmer, direct sales manager at Inciner8, explains how local authorities can ensure waste management centres meet new regulations.
‘Postcode lottery’ undermines plastic recycling 29/03/2023 People are being put off recycling their plastic because of the complexity of messaging and varying systems in different places, according to a new report.
Top five recycling councils all districts 27/03/2023 District councils are leading the way in recycling waste, new Government figures suggest.
Thurrock Council requests over £182m to stabilise services 30/01/2023 Trouble-torn Thurrock Council has requested £182.5m in Government support over the next year to shore up its services.
Council apologises after RCVs struggle to reach bin stores 19/01/2023 Brighton & Hove CC has apologised after its refuse collection vehicles were unable to reach the sites of bin stores that were approved by council planners.
Merseyside household waste strikes called off 13/01/2023 Strike action planned by 180 Veolia workers at 22 Merseyside household waste sites have been called off after an improved pay offer was agreed
Liverpool refuse collection workers prepare to strike 11/01/2023 Members of the union Unite are set to undertake industrial action in a dispute with Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Streetscene Services Ltd over pay.
Council’s £8m EV programme branded a ‘fiasco’ 11/01/2023 York Council’s EV programme has been branded a ‘fiasco’ after it spent £8m on a fleet of EVs without having the right charging infrastructure fully in place.
Epping Forest Council apologises over missed bin collections 05/01/2023 Epping Forest Council has apologised to residents for ‘unacceptable’ levels of missed bin collections - but has pledged to improve the service.
Save thousands on waste management and reduce your carbon footprint with the CitySolar Smart Bin 06/12/2022 Local authorities can save thousands on their waste management while reducing their carbon footprint with the CitySolar Smart Bin.
Veolia completes £2bn SUEZ UK sale 06/12/2022 Veolia has announced the completion of its sale of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK back to the French-owned Suez.
Save thousands on waste management and reduce your carbon footprint with the CitySolar Smart Bin 30/11/2022 Local authorities can save thousands on their waste management while reducing their carbon footprint with the CitySolar Smart Bin.
Council criticised for failing to tackle issues with bin collections 10/11/2022 Birmingham City Council has been criticised for blaming 'rogue crews' for failures in bin collections by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Eight councils in shared services talks 07/11/2022 Eight Essex councils covering one million people are in talks to share services in a bid to make savings.
Energy-from-waste facility to pay councils £4.75m ‘windfall’ 21/10/2022 Seven London councils are on course to receive budgetary boosts totalling £4.75m in November thanks to a publicly owned energy-from-waste facility.
Council celebrates zero-landfill month 18/10/2022 North East Lincolnshire Council is celebrating after making it through September without sending any waste to landfill.
Newham bin workers to restart strike 15/09/2022 Bin workers in Newham are set to go on strike for two weeks starting on Tuesday, Unite the Union has announced.
Scottish council workers consider 7.5% pay offer 05/09/2022 Strikes that would have affected schools and waste services across a number of council areas in Scotland have been suspended as workers consider pay offer.
Council bin workers secure 10% pay rise 02/09/2022 Around 100 waste workers employed by Bath and North East Somerset council are set to receive a 10% pay rise.
Newham Council braces for refuse strike 25/08/2022 Refuse workers in the London Borough of Newham are set to go on strike this Saturday to demand a pay increase that will keep up with spiralling price rises.
Waste workers announce strike action across 15 Scottish councils 11/08/2022 Waste workers in 15 councils across Scotland will walk-out for a week this month in protest over the 'pitiful' 2% pay offer.
Coventry bin lorry drivers win 13% pay boost 01/08/2022 The long-running dispute between Coventry council and local bin lorry drivers has now ended with a pay rise for the drivers worth up to 12.9%.
Sandwell refuse workers secure 9% pay rise to avoid strike action 22/07/2022 Refuse workers in Sandwell MBC have called off a planned strike due to start next week after accepting a 9% pay increase and securing additional annual leave.
Councils bring forward bin collections to protect staff during heatwave 18/07/2022 Councils across the country will be collecting bins, garden waste and recycling an hour earlier over the next two days to limit staff exposure to high temperatures.
Greenwich council reduces waste collections in move to net zero 30/06/2022 Greenwich council is reducing the number of waste collections it offers as part of the effort to cut carbon emissions and increase the rate of recycling.
Portsmouth council set to bring waste services in house 22/06/2022 Portsmouth City Council’s domestic household waste and recycling collection service is set to be delivered in house following a cabinet decision yesterday.
Council considers subterranean super-bins in UK first 17/06/2022 Liverpool City Council is to consider beginning consultations on the installation of underground bins in an effort to clear streets of black bags and litter.