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Food waste

Residents will receive an external 23-litre caddy for food waste (or access to a communal bin for residents in flats), along with a 7-litre kitchen food waste caddy (with liners). You will empty the contents of the kitchen caddy (with liner) into the external food waste caddy and this will be collected from your kerbside weekly. The external caddy has a lockable lid to contain any smells and prevent vermin from getting in. The new caddies and food waste collection vehicles are being funded by a grant from the government.

The food waste caddies are used to collect household food waste, including plate scrapings and uneaten food, peelings, bones, fruit cores and stones, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells and pet food. Once collected, food waste will be taken to an anaerobic digestion facility where it will be used to generate natural forms of energy such as biogas, an excellent alternative to fossil fuels, and fertiliser/ soil conditioner which can be used in farming.

Recycling

Recycling collections will continue to be carried out fortnightly. Residents will receive a new 240-litre blue wheeled bin for simpler mixed recycling – to include cans, plastic, cartons and glass. Existing blue bags will be kept for paper and card, as it has a resale value when it is clean/uncontaminated by other waste. Many other local authorities retain their blue bags for this reason. The black box and green bags will no longer be needed.

Non - recycling

Remaining non-recyclable waste will also be collected fortnightly (on alternate weeks to recycling collections), from your existing black wheeled bin, bringing the council in line with the majority of councils across the country. The use of the food caddy and extended recycling means most households should reduce the amount of waste going into their black bin.

Garden waste collections will also stay fortnightly and remain a paid for service.

Yes. All councils must introduce food waste to its service by April 2026.

The council is committed to keeping residents informed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis. Information will also be updated regularly on this website and the council’s website - www.dudley.gov.uk/bins. An email address has been set up for anyone who wishes to contact the council with any wate queries, email - waste2026@dudley.gov.uk .

To keep up to date on the introduction of the new service, residents can sign up to a range of communications channels, as follows:

Follow us on social media:

X @Dudleymbc

Facebook Dudley borough

The mandatory introduction of the food waste recycling service will help all residents to think about and see the amount of food waste they produce and take active steps to save money and reduce their carbon footprint by buying less and using more.

The council will be assisting residents to use and make the most of the new service. We will be running an education programme and change campaign in the run up to the new service.

We understand that households with babies and toddlers produce more waste. You

can now request additional refuse sacks to support you with nappy waste. You will receive a roll of refuse sacks for each child in your household that is:

• aged under 30 months (2.5 years)

• aged over 30 months (2.5 years) with special educational needs and/or disabilities and/or a medical condition and uses nappies..

An application form is available here https://www.dudley.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling/rubbish-collection/bin-and-sack-collection/reusable-nappies-and-hygiene-waste/ (please note criteria does apply).

With regard to odour it is recommended that you use nappy sacks to minimise this.

The way that medical and clinical waste is collected differs. Medical waste includes non-infectious waste such as incontinence pads, empty stoma bags and catheters. It does not include babies’ nappies or sanitary products. Clinical waste includes syringes, wound dressings or swabs..

For those residents who need to dispose of medical waste, a larger or additional bin can be applied for at no charge, from 9 March please email us at   Clinical.waste@dudley.gov.uk to make a request, evidence will be required when applying.  

If the waste is clinical then a specialist waste provider will collect this. In both circumstances, the council will be able to organise these services for you. Evidence will be required when applying. Find out more about clinical waste disposal here - www.dudley.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling/rubbish-collection/bin-and-sack-collection/clinical-waste/

If your property is assessed as suitable for a blue wheeled bin, you cannot opt out of having one. Properties that have adequate space for storage, and access for collection are required to use the standard bin service.

No, the government is introducing new legislation to help minimise household waste and increase recycling rates. Under the new simpler recycling rules all councils are required to provide a weekly food waste collection to all households.

As part of the waste service changes, we recommend that you keep your green bag and use it if required to put out additional paper and cardboard for collection.

There are lots of ways the black recycling boxes can be reused. They can be useful for storing items or organising household goods. Here are some ideas of how they can be used:

• Storage & organisation: Use in sheds, garages, or lofts for storing tools, car cleaning supplies, shoes, or seasonal items.

• Gardening: Act as a temporary container for soil, compost, to store gardening tools, or to collect prunings when gardening.

• Growing: Drill holes in the bottom and it’s ideal when filled with compost for growing vegetables, or strawberries.

• Composting: Use to create your own garden compost.

However. if you do not wish to retain your black box and green bag we are exploring several options including designated drop off points where you can return them so they can be reused or recycled. This option may on offer once the new service is fully operational and we will let people know.

Once the new service begins, you will be able to apply for these, free of charge and we will let residents know.

Your assisted collection service will remain in place and will not be affected by the new waste service changes.

Yes - pet food can go into your food caddy.

The government is providing grants to councils to help fund the new weekly food waste collections.

Bins should be kept within your property boundary or as close as possible until collection day, for example to the front, side, or rear of your property. Please avoid causing any obstruction.

While previous food waste collections were not mandatory, the council's legal obligations under legislation mean we must now provide a separate weekly food waste service.

For flats and households that currently use communal (shared use) waste bins, the waste service will continue as it is for now. The new recycling service will be expanded to cover properties with communal waste facilities in the future, where it is practicable to do so. The council will be letting these residents know in good time when this will be happening.

Each flatted property will be individually assessed to find the most suitable recycling service. Deliveries to flats may be slightly behind while we complete the assessments. .

HMOs that share a bathroom/kitchen will only be entitled to one recycling bin and one set of food caddies per dwelling. It is the landlord's responsibility to request additional bins.

You do not have to use biodegradable liners, you can line your kitchen caddy with newspaper, or a plastic bag if you prefer. Liners are removed before the food waste is processed through anaerobic digestion.

The external food waste caddy is a lockable container, which prevents pests from gaining access.

We recommend using liners, regular emptying and occasional washing.

Fold/cut the cardboard into manageable pieces that can be left between your bin and blue bag to avoid them blowing away. Make sure all polystyrene/bubble wrap is removed and placed in your black bin. Very large pieces of cardboard will not be taken by the operatives - these will need to be taken to the tip.

No, all recycling must be placed loose into the blue wheeled bin. Plastic bags will contaminate the recycling and this will result in your bin not being taken.

We do not offer a smaller blue recycling container.

Closing your outdoor food caddy correctly to ensure it is secure and locked from pests and scavenging is easy.

Simply make sure the caddy lid is closed correctly by: 

1. Placing the handle in the back position 

2. Place your hand firmly on the lid making sure the lid tabs are flat 

3. Bring the handle over the top from the back into the front locked position