Darlington will implement new food waste and recycling rules starting in 2026 to enhance waste management.
Darlington: Big changes are on the way for waste collection in the town. Starting in 2026, residents will have new weekly food waste and recycling collections.
Each household will get a small caddy for their kitchen to store food scraps and a larger bin for outside. Plus, they’ll receive 52 compostable liners for the caddy in the first year. When the caddy fills up, folks can just dump it into the outdoor bin.
So, what can you toss in the food waste bin? Pretty much all uneaten food, including plate scrapings, dairy, bread, meat, fish, and even tea bags. It’s a pretty comprehensive list!
Regular household waste will still be picked up every two weeks. These changes are part of the Environment Act, which mandates that all councils collect food waste weekly from homes.
Libby McCollom from the Darlington Borough Council mentioned that while the changes won’t kick in until 2026 and funding isn’t finalized yet, it’s crucial to plan how collections will work. This way, they can set up the right systems in advance.
She hopes that by rolling out weekly recycling along with food waste collections, it’ll make things easier for residents and boost recycling rates.
According to the Environment Act, the goal is to improve air and water quality, protect wildlife, and cut down on plastic waste. It’s a legal requirement for councils to start household food waste collections, which many other towns and cities already do.
The council approved these new collection methods after some thorough discussions. Councillor Matthew Snedker praised the new system, saying it will really help with waste management in the area.
He added that while councils do a lot for residents, getting the bin collection right is super important. Making these changes to follow the law wasn’t an easy task, but it’s necessary.
