Wirral's New Food Waste Bins 2026 — Everything You Need to Know
Big changes are coming to Wirral bins in 2026. Wirral Council is rolling out brand new food waste collections across the borough, affecting more than 328,000 residents — and there are changes to your grey recycling bin too. Here's everything you need to know, explained clearly.
The Two Key Dates to Know
What's New in the Grey Bin from April?
From 6 April 2026, your grey bin will accept a wider range of materials than before. The following can go in your grey recycling bin for the first time:
- Biscuit and sweet tins
- Aerosol sprays (deodorant, hairspray, etc.)
- Kitchen foil
- Plastic food pots, tubs and trays (yoghurt pots, margarine tubs)
- Cartons (juice, soup and milk cartons)
Crisp packets, plastic bags and drinking glasses still cannot go in the grey bin — that hasn't changed.
The New Weekly Food Waste Collection
From 6 July 2026, Wirral Council will introduce weekly food waste collections for the first time. Every household will receive a new caddy or food waste bin — collected every single week on your usual bin day.
Your green and grey bins will continue to be collected fortnightly on alternating weeks, exactly as they are now. The food waste collection is in addition to those — not instead of them.
What Goes in the New Food Waste Bin?
The new food waste bin is for all cooked and uncooked food scraps.
Wirral Council and their waste management partner Biffa will be delivering the new bins and information to all affected households ahead of July 2026.
Why Are These Changes Happening?
These changes are part of the UK government's Simpler Recycling programme, introduced through the Environment Act 2021. The aim is to make recycling consistent across all councils in England and Wales, and to divert more food waste away from landfill and incineration.
Food waste that goes into your general waste bin ends up being burned or buried — expensive and harmful to the environment. When collected separately, it can be turned into compost or used to generate green energy through anaerobic digestion.
What About Maggots in the New Food Waste Bin?
This is the question we've already been asked by a lot of our customers — and it's a valid one. A small caddy full of meat scraps, fish skins and plate scrapings sitting in warm weather is exactly the environment that attracts flies and breeds maggots. Without regular cleaning, the smell alone will be a problem.
We will be adding food waste bin cleaning to our service. When we clean your green bin on collection day, we can clean your food waste caddy at the same time — sanitised, deodorised and ready to use again. Call us on 0151 374 0205 to register your interest.
Keeping Wirral Bins Clean Since 1997
D&D Wheelie Bin Cleaning Services have been following the Wirral bin rounds for over 25 years. We've seen a lot of changes in that time — but this is one of the biggest, and we'll be ready for it.
If you're not already a customer and want to get ahead of the changes, give us a call or book online. Our regular fortnightly cleaning service starts from just £4 per clean, with payment by simple Direct Debit — no cash, no hassle.
Get Ahead of the 2026 Bin Changes
Start your regular bin cleaning service now — fortnightly from £4, monthly from £4.50. Serving all areas of the Wirral since 1997.
Book a Bin Clean →