Walsall residents to receive two new food waste bins

Residents in Walsall will be issued two new bins for food waste next year despite calls for alternative options.

Weekly food waste collections are set to start across Walsall in late summer 2027. It will also include free weekly collections of small electrical items and batteries. 

The decision follows a public consultation into the new mandatory service which took place from September to November 2025.  

The chosen method of delivery was one of two options presented to residents for the new service. 

The other, disgarded option, involved combining the food waste with the existing brown garden waste collection bin for weekly, year-round collections. 

The feedback showed the majority of residents preferred mixing the food and garden waste, but Walsall Council has chosen the separate food waste caddies instead due to costs. 

Residents can expect to start receiving their new food waste bins in Summer 2027.

Reform cabinet members are set to approve the council’s new Household Waste Collection Policy at a meeting on September 16.

Also set to be approved is the extension of garden waste collection services. 

In Walsall, residents don’t pay an extra fee for the garden waste collection unlike most neighbouring council areas.  

The service usually runs between March and October but Reform has confirmed it will extend collections by six weeks into December, providing a further three fortnightly collections. 

The authority also confirmed that the service will remain free of charge. 

Additionally, changes will be coming for the existing bin collection patterns. Residents currently present their residual grey bins weekly and their blue recycling bins fortnightly. 

From June 2027 residents will be required to present blue and grey bins fortnightly on alternate weeks. All households will be issued with collection calendars. 

Bins must not be presented before 6.00pm on the day before collection, must be available by 6.00am on collection day, and must be returned to the property by 10.00pm on collection day. 

The council said a ‘comprehensive communications programme’ will support the changes resulting from the new policy. 

The costs of introducing the new food waste collection service, including the caddies, additional staff and fleet vehicles, has been partly covered by a government grant of £1.844million. 

However, the grant does not cover the total amount required, meaning Walsall Council will need to allocate an additional £1.4 million from the capital budget for vehicles and containers, along with a further £1million for improvements to facilities at the environmental depot. 

Cabinet members are set to approve the new policy on Wednesday, September 16.