Ministers have announced a four-bin “default requirement” for “most households” from March 2026.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it would continue with Simpler Recycling reforms mooted under the former Conservative Government.
However, in an update ahead of taking secondary legislation to Parliament next month, ministers said paper and card should be collected separately as standard.
This is in addition to the residual waste; organic waste; and dry recyclable streams initially anticipated.
It means the system will now see councils pick up food and garden waste from one bin, paper and card from another and plastic, metal and glass from a third container. General non-recyclable waste will go in a fourth bin under the default system.
The government added that councils and other waste collectors would “still have the flexibility to make the best choices to suit local need”.
It added: “This is a sensible, pragmatic approach to the collection of materials for every household and business in England.”
Many businesses could have to comply with the majority of the reforms as soon as March 2025.
