Free weekly collections are set to start in Middlesbrough this summer
14:08, 13 Feb 2026Updated 14:44, 13 Feb 2026
From the start of March, households will start to receive 240-litre red-lidded bins for free fortnightly collections of paper and cardboard, as well as new food waste recycling caddies(Image: Middlesbrough Council)
A new waste and recycling bin scheme in Middlesbrough is being rolled out with deliveries starting in March. Households will be provided with a small five-litre food waste caddy for their kitchen and a larger 23-litre caddy to be kept outside and emptied each week.
Homes with wheeled bins will receive a new 240-litre bin with a red lid for free fortnightly collections of paper and cardboard. Those without bins will receive red sacks to enable them to recycle paper and cardboard.
Delivery of the new food waste caddies and red-lid bins will start on Monday, March 2, with free weekly collections set to start in the summer. Over the coming weeks, homes in the town will receive information leaflets and tags on wheelie bins to alert them to the roll-out.
A roll of compostable liners for the small kitchen caddy and a guide to the new bins will also be provided. The current blue lid bin will continue to be used for plastics, glass and tins.
The new collections are part of a drive by Government to improve recycling rates. Cllr Peter Gavigan, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive member for environment and sustainability, said: “These are some of the biggest changes to the way we collect waste and recycling for many years, so we’ll do everything we can to make the transition as smooth as possible.
“Around half of homes in England now have food waste collection and it’s time for us to make this important change which will have long-term benefits for all of us. Food waste accounts for around a third of the average household bin, so by recycling it we will reduce the impact of harmful greenhouse gases released into the environment.
“It’s all part of our overall aim to improve our recycling rates, and we will be working alongside our residents to make a real and lasting difference.” For the latest information and updates, visit Changes to bin collections | Middlesbrough Council
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