Residents in the City of Lincoln will see a major change to their bin collections from the week commencing 30 March 2026, when a new, weekly food waste recycling service begins.
The move forms part of a county-wide rollout mandated by the national Environment Act 2021, which requires all local authorities to collect food scraps separately from general waste. While the scheme is being introduced across Lincolnshire, Lincoln is among the first districts to start, with others following at different times.
From Waste to Resource: How the New System Works
Currently, food waste constitutes roughly 26% of Lincolnshire's general rubbish and is sent to be incinerated at the Energy from Waste plant. Under the new system, separating this material will allow it to be sent to an Anaerobic Digestion plant instead.
Here, it will be processed to generate green energy and produce a nutrient-rich fertiliser for agricultural use. This dual outcome helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels and supports local farming, contributing to the UK's legally binding target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
To prepare households, the council will begin delivering special caddies from 23 February 2026. Each home will receive:
- A small 5-litre indoor kitchen caddy with an initial roll of 52 compostable liners.
- An information leaflet explaining the service.
- Households with individual wheeled bins will also get a 23-litre outdoor caddy with an orange lid for kerbside collection.
Residents in flats or properties with communal bins will have access to shared food waste bins. Both the indoor and outdoor caddies feature lockable lids designed to contain odours and deter pests.
Collection Details and What You Can Recycle
The weekly food waste collections will happen on the same day as the existing refuse or recycling collection, but will be carried out by a dedicated vehicle, potentially at a different time. Residents are encouraged to use the service even if they home compost, as it accepts a wider range of items.
You can place the following in your food caddy:
- All uneaten food and plate scrapings.
- Meat and fish (raw or cooked), including bones.
- Dairy products, tea bags, and coffee grounds.
- Rice, pasta, beans, bread, pastries, and cakes.
- Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables, including peelings.
The council hopes the service will not only be easy to use but will also help residents become more aware of how much food they are discarding.
Council Hopes for a Cleaner, Greener Lincoln
Councillor Rebecca Longbottom, portfolio holder for remarkable place at City of Lincoln Council, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. "Introducing weekly food collections is a change I'm very much looking forward to," she said.
"As a council, we are proud to support our residents in recycling more efficiently and helping to protect the environment. The scheme has already been successfully rolled out in other counties and has been warmly welcomed. I hope our residents embrace it too, and recognise the positive difference such a simple change can make."
She concluded, "Together, we can turn waste into something useful and make Lincoln a cleaner, greener city."
For more information, including tips on keeping your caddy clean, residents can visit the council's dedicated webpage at www.lincoln.gov.uk/foodwaste.
