Recycling and Waste Changes in 2025
Information from North Somerset Council
Update – 6th May 2025
The launch date for the start of three weekly collections is to be the 9th June. All households will receive a detailed letter and more information by the 23rd May and this will advise when your new “bin day” will be. Your recycle days will also probably change. It might also be worth downloading the North Somerset Council app from your usual app store.
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Update – 23rd April 2025
The North Somerset App is now available to download from your usual app store. One of the useful things will be the reminders of when it’s “bin day” ….particularly when black bins go to three weekly!
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Update – 14th April 2025
The red recycling bags have now started to appear in the village. They should each have an instructions page in them. Please start to use them straight away.
Black bin collections will go to THREE WEEKLY from June. You will receive a new schedule of what the dates are for your household.
NSC will start to collect soft plastics in June and advise.
We’re the first local council in the UK to collect and compact plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping at the kerbside as part of a weekly household recycling service. These materials, such as crisp packets, film lids, plastic pouches and vegetable packaging, make up about 10 per cent of black bin contents.
When we start collecting plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping in June, these should be bagged using one of the carrier bags or bread bags you want to recycle. Squash the plastic right down to squeeze all the air out, tie with a knot, and then put in your recycling box with your glass bottles and jars.
Finally, a new “App” will be launched later in April to help you keep track of collections. You’ll be able to set up reminders for when to put your bins out, find out more about what and how to recycle, receive real-time updates about any changes to recycling and waste collections, and find out about other council services
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January 2025
Following a trial with 6,000 households, a new red recycling bag will be introduced for household plastics and metal.
Deliveries of the red bag start at the end of March and continue throughout April and May. This provides an increase in recycling space of 90 litres per household as well as being a secure closing (velcro strip) container to help reduce litter when it’s awaiting collection, and is weighted to stop it blowing away when emptied.
Each bag will have a leaflet inside it (mine didn’t! SD) to explain which materials it is for (plastic and metal recycling), and residents are asked to start using it straight away for their next recycling collection, alongside their existing recycling boxes. These weighted recycling bags are used successfully by lots of other councils across the country.
A North Somerset Council app launches in April. Residents will be able to set up reminders for when to put out bins and receive real-time information about the service if for any reason a collection can’t be made, as well as find out about other council services.
Later this year we will have new vehicles to collect recycling. There will be larger compartments for collecting batteries, clothes, small electrical items and vapes, to improve the reliability of these collections. The new recycling vehicles will also have a dedicated space to collect plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping such as crisp packets, film lids, pet food pouches and vegetable wrapping, which currently make up 10% of black bin contents.
Most resident’s black bin collections will switch from fortnightly to three-weekly later this year. Properties where collection frequency is changing will receive information before the changes take place. Most resident’s collection day will also change to improve the overll efficiency of collections, reduce emissions, and improve the reliability of the service.
Households will be contacted with more information before any changes take place.
Additional support is available for anyone who will struggle with a three-weekly black bin collection due to medical needs, children in disposable nappies or a larger household. Find out more here (Opens in a new window).
Over a quarter (27%) of the average black bin is still food waste. Residents can order containers for recycling food waste and find more information here (Food Waste – Opens in a new window).