East Suffolk Council’s cabinet had reached its decision in October as plans to change the colour of recycling bin lids was described as the most effective route to prevent confusion for households.

The introduction of a new wheelie bin for households to put paper and card in comes as part of the government’s Better Recycling initiative.

An example of the grey bin with a green lid – the new paper and card bin – earmarked for distribution in East Suffolk. Image: Suffolk Recycling (Image: Suffolk Recycling)

But with the receptacles being grey with a green lid, it prompted concerns from officials at the authority – led by a coalition of Greens, Lib-Dems and Independents – that they would be too similar to the existing green garden bins already in use for garden waste.

A green bin being collected as part of East Suffolk Council’s garden waste collection service. (Image: Archant)

Amid fears it could lead to error, councillors agreed to spend £350,000 on fitting a brown lid to the garden waste bins to avoid any unfortunate mix-ups.

Critics said it would have been cheaper to have simply put stickers on the bins, and during the October 7 meeting, opposition councillors questioned the plans and suggested using stickers, but these were dismissed.

Bin colours in East Suffolk – and how it will look in 2026. Image: Newsquest (Image: The Newsquest Digital Optimisation Team )

However, it led to further discussion this week as the decision was ‘Called-In’.

A report entitled ‘Authorisation to proceed with the procurement of sufficient brown lids to replace green lids on garden waste bins to fall in line with WRAP approved recycling colours and avoid confusion with the introduction of Better Recycling in 2026’ was discussed at a meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee on November 27 at East Suffolk House in Melton.

‘The simpler solution’

Cllrs Alan Green and Louise Gooch, of East Suffolk’s Labour Group, called the decision in – the formal step to challenge it – over concerns “sufficient alternatives to bulk bin-lid buying” had not been properly explored.

Stickers were again put forward during the meeting as a potentially better and cheaper option.

Cllr Gooch said: “I think stickers that have the information of what should go in each bin would be as good as coloured bins anyway.”

However, Cllr Paul Ashton, the authority’s deputy leader, defended the decision and said the council wanted bins to be consistent across the district and county.

He said: “There is a real risk that the stickers end up costing more and cause more contamination than the one-off cost of just replacing the bin lids — it really is the simpler solution.

“It’s fraught with all sorts of risks — we have fully thought it through.”

Cllr Mark Jepson said some of his concerns had been clarified and he suggested “reluctantly” accepting the original decision made by the council’s cabinet.

Leader of the East Suffolk Conservative group, Mark Jepson. Image: East Suffolk Conservatives (Image: East Suffolk Conservative s)

This was agreed by councillors as the motion was carried with seven votes in favour and four against.