Warwick District Council has rejected a request to temporarily switch households from three-weekly to fortnightly rubbish collections during the current heatwave, leaving families with young children to contend with soiled nappies stored for up to three weeks in high temperatures.
The issue was raised at a council meeting by Conservative councillor Jan Matecki, who represents Budbrooke. He told members that the idea had come from a parish council and asked the local authority to consider moving general waste collections to a fortnightly basis while hot weather persists.
"I was asked at a parish council meeting – and it was a very good suggestion – about the general waste collection which is currently three-weekly," Cllr Matecki said. "Concerns were expressed that families with younger children may (use) a lot of nappies, it is not very hygienic in this extreme heat."
He added: "Can the council look at maybe increasing the frequency of general waste collection as a result of this heat and the health implications that might come (from that)?"
'Extremely smelly' but no capacity
Council leader Ian Davison, a Green Party member for Leamington Brunswick, responded that while the suggestion was sensible in principle, the practical and financial obstacles were too great. He explained that moving from a three-weekly to a two-weekly cycle would require an additional vehicle and crew, and that the cost could not be justified for a temporary measure.
"To me it is a good, sensible question but there is no capacity in the waste rounds to accommodate that," he said. "If we go from three-weekly to two-weekly we would need an additional vehicle and crew, which is a lot of expense."
He went on to say: "Can you hire people for that? You then have a vehicle idle for a long time. It is logistically difficult to plan ahead because heatwaves may or may not be able to be predicted."
Cllr Davison added: "Unfortunately, I don't see how it can be done but I certainly accept, particularly with things like nappies, it is extremely smelly."
Three-weekly collections since 2022
Warwick District Council has used three-weekly collections for non-recyclable waste since August 2022, following a waste partnership with Stratford-on-Avon District Council. Before that, general waste bins were emptied every fortnight.
Under the current schedule, recycling is collected every two weeks and food waste every week. But non-recyclable waste – which includes items like disposable nappies – stays in bins for up to 21 days, making the summer heat a particular challenge for households with babies.
The prolonged interval between collections becomes especially problematic during a heatwave, as organic waste degrades quickly in warm conditions, producing strong odours and attracting insects. Used nappies, which are often sealed only by the bin lid, can become a source of considerable discomfort for families.
Extra waste rules
Residents are not permitted to leave additional black bags next to their grey bins on collection day. However, the council has an exemption for homes that cannot accommodate standard wheelie bins because of access or storage issues. In those cases, extra bags are collected, or larger shared bins are emptied on a fortnightly basis.
The council leader's response suggests that no change is planned for the wider waste system, even as temperatures remain high. While Cllr Davison accepted the unpleasantness of the situation, he maintained that the unpredictability of heatwaves and the expense of adding extra rounds made a temporary switch unworkable.
For residents currently enduring the smell of three-week-old nappies, the only comfort may be that the heatwave will eventually break, returning the bins to a less pungent state.
