After a year of severe strike disruption, Birmingham City Council has confirmed its long-awaited, multi-million pound overhaul of waste and recycling services will finally commence in June 2025.
A Service in Dire Need of Change
The council, which has been ranked among the worst in the country for bin complaints, admitted its service was failing residents. A report highlighted longstanding issues and challenges even before industrial action, with the city having the worst recycling rate of all major English councils at just 23% pre-strike. Furthermore, more than 121,000 bin collections were missed last year.
Cabinet Member for Waste and the Environment, Councillor Majid Mahmood, stated the transformation would finally deliver the service Birmingham's 1.14 million residents deserve. The core of the new system involves alternating fortnightly collections for black bins and dry recycling, complemented by a new weekly food waste collection.
What the New Service Will Look Like
The transformation is extensive, covering everything from new equipment to new routines for households.
For residents, this means:
- A new weekly food waste collection, using a 23-litre external caddy and a 7-litre kitchen caddy delivered to every home.
- Fortnightly collection of dry recycling in two separate wheelie bins: a 240-litre blue-lidded bin for plastics, cans, and glass, and a new 180-litre green-lidded bin for paper and cardboard.
- Fortnightly collection of non-recyclable residual waste in a 180-litre grey wheeled bin, on alternate weeks to the recycling.
The council is developing a policy to ensure larger families receive suitably sized containers.
Technology, Trucks and a New Professional Image
The council is investing heavily in modernising its operations. Bin crews will operate new high-tech trucks fitted with in-cab technology and 360-degree cameras for improved safety and remote management. Live operational data feeds will be used to boost efficiency.
Refuse workers will also receive new uniforms and personal protective equipment to promote a professional culture and enhance safety. The council has prepared 1,100 new collection routes using advanced Unique Property Reference Number technology and has over one million new recycling and food waste containers in storage ready for the rollout.
A pilot scheme for the food waste service will begin at 10,000 addresses in March 2025, leading to a full citywide launch in June. The initial phase will see 70% of homes switch to the new system, with high-rise flats and hard-to-reach properties included in a second phase.
Overcoming Strike Disruption
The original transformation was scheduled for April 2024 but was abandoned when workers began strike action at the start of the year. Councillor Mahmood confirmed that negotiations have now ended, with every affected bin worker having taken voluntary redundancy, accepted alternative roles, or, in three cases, undergone compulsory redundancy.
He urged the Unite union to end the ongoing strike. The council warned that if the strike is not resolved by next year, it may bring in a new sub-workforce to run the food waste service.
External commissioners overseeing the council's financial recovery have welcomed the plan, calling the waste service transformation a cornerstone of Birmingham’s improvement and vital for rebuilding resident trust.
An extensive communication plan is being developed to help Birmingham residents adjust to this significant change in their bin collection services.
