The UK government has previously announced councils would have to legally provide food waste collections across the country from April 2026. Wirral Council previously said the changes would be brought in from April 1.
However, this appears to have been pushed back to the summer according to the local authority’s website. Wirral Council did not provide an update when asked.
Wirral is not the only council which will be bringing in the service later this year than expected, with Sefton Council’s website saying their service will be introduced in the autumn. Knowsley Council has announced it will be bringing in the food waste service from April 13.
This follows Liverpool Council which brought in food waste collections for 15,000 people as part of a trial in September 2025. St Helens already provides food waste collections.
When the service is rolled out, the plan is for every household to be given two smaller bins called caddies to keep food waste secure until it can be collected. One will be kept inside the house while a second will be kept outside and put out for collection.
A delivery plan previously presented to Wirral councillors said waste firm Veolia will provide services to transfer, transport, and treat the food waste up until 2029. The food waste will be received at four sites at Bidston, Huyton, Southport, and Gillmoss.
Alongside the introduction of food waste, councils will also be introducing more recycling. This means a number of items currently banned from recycling bins will soon be allowed.
At the moment, a number of items are allowed in a Wirral household recycling bin and nothing else. These are paper and card, glass bottles and jars, food tins and drink cans, and plastic bottles.
However, it is expected from April the following items that are currently banned from recycling bins are expected to be processed in Merseyside. This includes metals like aerosols, metal jars and bottle lids, aluminium foil, food trays and tubes.
More plastic will be able to be recycled with pots, tubs, and trays set to be included, while drink and liquid food cartons, including Tetra Pak, will soon be able to be recycled. Flexible plastics like film and carrier bags will be included from 2027.
Wirral councillors have also said the public need to do more themselves when it comes to recycling given the local authority’s financial situation. In October, Cllr Gail Jenkinson said: “We have to encourage residents where they can to take more responsibility and not just expect the council to do everything for them.”
She said the public had to get on board because if the council got fined, council tax would potentially have to go up, adding: “If people aren’t prepared to do it, they really should be ashamed they are putting that level of burden on their neighbours because it’s not that hard to do.”