Cotswold residents may be given smaller bins

Thousands of people in Gloucestershire could be asked to use smaller bins as part of proposals being considered.

Cotswold District Council leaders are to discuss measures aimed at cutting costs and simplifying recycling and waste collection in their part of the county.

The plans could also see the scrapping of council-run 'Bring Bank' recycling sites for items currently not collected at the kerbside such as glass, clothing, books and small electrical items.

A reduction in the size of the standard issue bin from 180 litres to 140 litres, mixed collection of paper and card and kerbside collection of plastic carrier bags, bread bags and cereal liners will also be considered.

Under new government rules the council will have to collect additional plastics on the kerbside from 1 April 2027.

Peta Johnson, head of waste and environment at Cotswold District Council, said that with more material being collected for recycling it "makes sense" to reduce bin size.

"We wouldn't be taking all bins out and replacing all of them instantly," he said.

"It will just be very, very gradually - as bins reach the end of their operational life - that they will be replaced by a smaller bin.

"This is all subject to he decision of the cabinet meeting on Thursday [4 June]."

Johnson added that the overall impact of the proposals would be "broadly cost neutral", with some funding coming from packing producers.

Currently residents in the district have a fortnightly collection of wheelie bins and other recycling.

Residents are provided with boxes and bags, and the material from them is put into separate compartments on the waste collection vehicles.

Johnson said that while residents could be required to sort and put out plastic wrapping as another material for recycling, "we have to do something positive with it".

He added that the message to residents was that all efforts to help with recycling were appreciated.

"Just start somewhere, as there is a huge amount of material out there. It's a really positive step to be able to collect it and recycle it."

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