Recycling and Waste Service Changes
Colchester City Council is introducing changes to recycling and rubbish collections from 1 June 2026, as part of a move to a simpler, more efficient service.
Published: 1 June 2026
What is changing from 1 June 2026
From 1 June, Colchester will begin moving to a new recycling and rubbish collection system, which will be introduced in stages across the city until March 2027.
The key change for residents is that recycling is becoming simpler.
Residents will be able to:
- Put plastics, paper and card, tins and cans together in one place
- Continue to recycle glass separately
- Continue to have food waste collected weekly
Residents can begin mixing their recycling materials from 1 June:
- In a new recycling wheeled bin (if they have received one), or
- In clear recycling bags (before bins arrive/if a house has been assessed as unsuitable for bins)
This means residents no longer need to separate these materials at home.
Collections from June
Under the new service:
- Food waste will continue to be collected weekly
- Recycling and rubbish will be collected on alternating fortnightly weeks
- Garden waste (for subscribers) will be collected on the same week as recycling
Collection days and schedules will differ for many households, which is why checking the new calendar here is so important https://www.colchester.gov.uk/your-recycling-calendar/