Birmingham City Council's new administration has indicated that the reintroduction of garden and bulky waste collections is 'on their radar,' though residents may have to wait longer for these services to resume. The coalition of Liberal Democrats, Greens, and independents is pressing ahead with a major overhaul of the city's waste collection system, which includes switching household rubbish from weekly to fortnightly collections, introducing a second recycling bin, and launching a weekly food waste service.
Pilot Launch from Perry Barr
The changes will be rolled out area by area, starting with a pilot in northern areas served by the Perry Barr depot from June 30. New bins will be delivered to certain households this Tuesday, with collections under the new system beginning on Monday, July 6. Recycling collections will also be reintroduced in phases alongside these changes. However, the timeline for resuming garden and bulky waste collections remains unclear.
These services, along with recycling, were suspended in 2025 due to the ongoing bins strike that severely impacted the council's waste collection capacity. Councillor Harris Khaliq, cabinet member for city operations and digital, addressed the issue during a recent briefing.
Councillor's Statement
“These are things all on the administration’s radar. It’s a part of cleaning up Birmingham,” Khaliq said. “I would love to bring back bulky waste, it was something put into our commitments, it’s something I’m still comfortable we’re able to deliver.” However, he acknowledged that the return of garden and bulky waste might be part of a future package in the coming years, rather than the immediate rollout. “As we go deliver the waste transformation, one of the things in the package for year two, three or four would be bringing back bulky waste collections,” he added. “But it’s something I’m confident that we’ll be able to deliver.”
Additional Measures
Khaliq described the changes as “exciting” and emphasised the administration's commitment to cleaning up Birmingham. In a statement last Friday, he said: “One of our key commitments as the council’s new administration is to clean up this fantastic city. This is why it’s essential for the changes in relation to waste collection to go ahead, supported by additional measures. We are initially piloting the improved service in order to gather data and feedback so we can make informed decisions on what works best for residents.”
He continued: “People getting the new service will be getting a weekly food waste collection, following the successful pilot, and a second recycling bin. This means that all that will be left for the fortnightly general waste collection will be whatever can’t be recycled – so the waste that causes the most concern, such as smelly food leftovers, will be collected weekly. All this will be supported with parallel activity taking place including extra clean-up measures and new investment into enforcement so we can all do our bit to keep the city clean.”
Resident Guidance
Residents are encouraged to check the council's website for updates on how the changes affect their area. The council also plans to reintroduce recycling collections in phases as part of the broader waste transformation programme.
