A council is considering changing its rubbish collections to fortnightly after a new government policy comes into force. Crawley Borough Council said that from April 1, 2026, councils across the country must introduce a weekly food waste kerbside collection service for all households. This is part of the government's Simpler Recycling scheme, which aims to create consistency in the way recycling, food waste and garden waste are collected across the UK.
The government said this will also stop a trend towards three or four-weekly bin collections seen in some local authorities across the UK. READ MORE: Fury at plans to extend parking charges Since the news was announced last year, councils across Sussex have been considering how best to implement this policy. On Monday, Crawley Borough Council said the policy could prompt it to make other changes as food makes up nearly half of what is put in household rubbish bins, which means the amount of general rubbish is likely to fall.
The council said that a typical household bin in Crawley at the moment is currently made up of 38.2 per cent general waste and 44.2 per cent food waste.
As a result, the council is now considering a move to fortnightly general rubbish collections across Crawley from 2026, rather than weekly. No decision has yet been made and the council said it is considering all options. Councillor Bob Noyce, cabinet member for environment, sustainability and climate change at Crawley Borough Council, said: "It’s important to stress that no decision has been taken at this time.
"We’re investigating our options alongside the introduction of food waste collections in 18 months’ time. "These new arrangements are a national requirement imposed on all councils by the previous government and are compulsory for us to implement. "However, the move to fortnightly bin collections elsewhere has seen increased recycling, less rubbish and a lower carbon footprint for collection and disposal, which many local people tell us should be a high priority.
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