Recycling returns to city as bins shake-up starts

Recycling collections are returning to some areas of Birmingham as major changes to refuse services start next week, despite the ongoing bin strike.

As well as recycling returning food waste collections will be introduced and the weekly household waste service scrapped in favour of a fortnightly one.

The changes are set to be rolled out in phases starting with a pilot in Sutton Coldfield, Erdington and Kingstanding where the new bins will be delivered on Tuesday.

The introduction of refuse changes was originally due to start this month but Labour lost control of the authority in May's elections and no party had the numbers needed to take control of the council by themselves.

Earlier this month Liberal Democrat Roger Harmer was elected council leader with his party forming a minority administration with the Greens and Better Birmingham Independent Group.

A resolution to the long running bin strike, which started at the beginning of 2025, has not yet been found.

The announcement for the changes was made by new cabinet member for city services and digital, Harris Khaliq of the Better Birmingham party, who said the plans will go ahead despite the strike. Collections will start next Monday.

Speaking to the BBC, Khaliq said: "We will be rolling it out in pilots and in phases throughout the city, to understand learnings to create a delivery approach that takes into consideration what the residents need."

The effectiveness of this pilot will be assessed before a decision is made whether to keep this waste collection arrangement and to roll it across the city.

To support the pilot, further resources for the clean ups of local areas and mobile household recycling centres, supported by targeted enforcement, will also be introduced.

"We will be using the same workforce, and additional workforce to support us with the food recycling, to bring the stability and bring recycling back throughout Birmingham," Khaliq added.

Speaking immediately after his victory, Harmer, the first Liberal Democrat leader of the city council, said his priority would be settling the bin strike, which has been running for more than a year.

"We will find a deal. We will make a deal. There has to be a deal, and that is number one item on our agenda," he said.

"Our streets should be free from litter and fly-tipping," he said. "The bin strike has gone unresolved for far too long, impacting the daily lives of thousands. Tackling this head-on is not optional, it is essential."

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